Earlier today, Bangi MP, fellow cinephile, and all around good egg Ong Kian Ming started a Twitter thread to urge the government to allow cinemas to reopen.
God knows, we couldn’t agree more.
Cinemas here in the Klang Valley have been closed since the CMCO was implemented back in October. Screens in other states were still allowed to operate but were shut down when the MCO was put into effect almost eight weeks ago.
Hundreds of jobs have been lost. It begins with the front of house staff, but as cinemas continue to remain closed, layoffs will eventually trickle upwards (if it hasn’t already), affecting everyone across the board, not just the people who work in and for the cinema chains, but even the malls that house them. Remember that many malls in Malaysia rely on cinemas as a crucial source of foot traffic for the rest of their stores. I mean, why else would you go to Paradigm?
To be fair, Kian Ming is a doctor of political science. ?
That said, he still makes some very good points.
It’s also important to note that we’ve had restaurant clusters, and gym clusters, and supermarket clusters, but in the months that the cinemas were reopen, there wasn’t a single cinema cluster. We believe that this had to do with their strict implementation of SOPs.
When the MCO was lifted last year, and cinemas were allowed to reopen, we at Goggler found that their implementation of SOPs were far more stringent than almost everyone else. Temperature checks and social distancing aside, all patrons were also encouraged to wear their masks at all time – which, in our experience, they did. After every screening, cleaners in full PPE gear would wipe down every surface and clean the halls extensively.
What’s more, cinema staff were also on hand to ensure that all SOPs were being followed. Going to the cinema back then was an incredibly reassuring experience. It was a potent reminder that SOPs actually work. When people follow them.
Let’s not give them ideas Kian Ming. The government already censors far too much, you know it’s just a matter of time before they start trying to “clean up” our emotions as well.
Some other great reads on the enduring impact of cinema closures.
Last year, the Guardian wrote an editorial on the impact of Cineworld’s shutdown on the British high street. Which could serve as a mirror to the Malaysian mall.
Here, The Diplomat talks about how COVID-19 has impacted Asia’s film industries.
We think the Malaysian film industry has far bigger problems. God knows hardly anyone was paying to see local movies at cinemas anyway. In fact, if there is one silver lining here, it is that this could be a time of great self-reflection for local studios and filmmakers.
Even when cinemas reopened briefly during the RMCO period last year, operators were finding it impossible to source content that would excite patrons. Hollywood wasn’t sending any movies our way, and Malaysians weren’t interested in paying to see local movies. (Nor Japanese, Korean, and Thai movies for that matter.)
Why is that? Have they been burned so many times by local productions that they don’t think there’s any value in paying to watch them in cinemas? We did a survey when cinemas were about to reopen last June and only 33 of the 1020 Malaysians surveyed said they would go back to cinemas to watch a local movie.
There’s one more point worth bringing up and it speaks to the general perception that both the government and the public have regarding cinema (and the arts) in general. It just isn’t seen as “essential.” It’s practically dispensable. Which places it at the very bottom of their list of priorities.
Ironic really, given that the thing most of us turned to when stuck at home in quarantine was our televisions.
Cinemas, and theaters, and concert halls don’t just contribute to the nation’s economy, they are absolutely essential in feeding our souls. What more at a time when the some of the biggest consequences of this pandemic involves the unseen impact it has had on our collective mental health. Movies, and television, and plays, and live music are more than just an escape, they are absolutely crucial in our war against COVID-19.
Remember that this “new normal” won’t last forever. It may be a year, it may be two, but when we eventually return to that “old normal,” are we ready for the cultural wasteland that awaits us?
Listen to Kian Ming. Reopen cinemas. And while you’re at it, get some stage productions going too.
Thank you for attending our TED Talk.
And yes… a high end air filtration system… that would be great!
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