Over 100 movie theaters in Shanghai resumed operation on Friday after about four months of epidemic-led closure.



According to a statement released by the film bureau of Shanghai, movie theaters are currently allowed to receive an audience at a 50 percent capacity at most, and viewers shall not sit closely beside each other.

The city will also ensure daily health monitoring of cinema staff, rational scheduling of screenings, infection prevention and control in theaters, among other things, to ensure the safety of audiences, according to the bureau.



Several cinemas in Shanghai arranged early hour screenings on Friday. Before 12 a.m. on Friday, some moviegoers were already seen lining up in front of a UME cinema in Xintiandi, a landmark entertainment area in Shanghai.



"Our staff have returned to their posts weeks ago to prepare for our reopening, engaged in such works as disinfection, machine maintenance, and film scheduling," said the manager of the cinema.



During the 2022 Spring Festival holiday, Shanghai's film market led all Chinese cities with a total box office of 259 million yuan (about 38.6 million U.S. dollars).



Movie theaters in Shanghai suspended operation on March 10 due to COVID-19 flareups. More of them will reopen when they meet requirements for epidemic prevention and control.





Source: Xinhua