22 June

Movie fans in France are back in theaters, after three months of closures due to the coronavirus pandemic.

There are about 6,000 movie screens in total at theaters in France. The country has the fourth highest number of screens per person in the world. France shut down theaters in March to prevent the spread of the virus.

The French government has been gradually easing restrictions on outdoor activities and social events since May. The government says the reason is that the virus's spread is under control. It gave movie theaters the green light to reopen on Monday.

A theater in Paris began screening films at the stroke of midnight. About 120 fans took seats. They practiced social distancing, and different groups were separated from one another. Staff at the theater were required to wear masks.

A 40-year-old woman from Paris said that she had been waiting for this day for three months. She added that seeing a movie in a theater is different from watching a film at home.

Louis Merle is the co-owner of the theater. He said that audiences can now share the pleasure of enjoying movies in theaters again.

The government says that sports stadiums and horse racetracks will reopen on July 11, if the virus's spread remains under control. But it says audience numbers will be reduced.

NHK