Movie theaters readying for Oscar-winning films 

ANKARA 

The gradual normalization process, which started on June 1 within the scope of the COVID-19 pandemic measures, will start on July 1 for “movie theaters” in line with the demand of movie theater investors.

In the circular of the Interior Ministry on “June Normalization Measures,” the movie theaters were allowed to operate as of June 1 with the 50 percent capacity limit, but they will open their doors on July 1.

Speaking to the state-run Anadolu Agency, Fevzi Genç, the secretary-general of the Movie Theater Investors Association (SİSAY) of which 95 percent of Turkish movie theaters are a member, talked about the opening process for theaters.

Genç said that at the beginning of May, when the opinions of sector representatives regarding the normalization process were taken, they demanded to open on June 11. He stated that they wanted to act in parallel with the government’s normalization process but that the gradual normalization process that started on June 1 was a “sudden decision” for them.

“Opening movie theaters is not as easy as opening restaurants. The movie industry has different stakeholders. It works differently. Some of the stakeholders are international film companies. It is not possible to prepare and revive the industry in one day. That’s why we talked to film companies and told the Culture and Tourism Ministry that the date of July 1 would be better. We work closely with them. It conveyed this request to the Interior Ministry.

Around 95 percent of our members agreed for the theaters to open on July 1. Some want to open in July, while others want to open in August or September. But we do not want to delay it too much, after all, the country wants to normalize; people want to go to the movies. We will make a loss in July and August, but we want to contribute to this normalization,” he said.

Stating that they know that the audience misses the movies, Genç said they want to welcome them.

Genç said that they want to make a strong opening on July 1, that they have talked to film companies in this direction, and that big films need two to three weeks of advertising time.

“We want to screen Oscar-winning films. The Oscar winner ‘Nomadland’ will be released. We talked to the film company. We are also working on other Oscar-winning films. We have many movies as we were closed for a long time. We didn’t have a movie to be screened last summer, but now we have because the American theaters and the film industry have opened,” he said.