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Movie by gondola: Philippine cinema offers Venice-themed pandemic escape

Published 12/19/2020, 03:22 PM
Updated 12/19/2020, 03:30 PM

MANILA, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Some moviegoers in the Philippine
capital, tired of lengthy COVID-19 restrictions, are opting for
a taste of Venice, bobbing in front of the big screen in
socially distanced gondolas.
Gondoliers in striped uniforms steer and position each boat
in an outdoor canal to watch full-length films, a rare chance to
visit the cinema after nine months of lockdowns.
"Riding a boat made it a unique experience," patron Violet
Gatchalian told Reuters at the Venice Grand Canal-themed
shopping mall in Manila. "It's also one of the first cinemas to
reopen so we wanted to try it."
Philippine cinemas have been closed since mid-March, when
President Rodrigo Duterte imposed one of the world's toughest
and longest lockdowns. With more than 456,000 coronavirus
infections and 8,875 COVID-19 deaths, the Philippines is
Southeast Asia's hardest-hit country after Indonesia.
The government started gradually reopening the economy in
June, but most non-essential businesses remain shut - in Manila,
the gondola cinema and a drive-through theatre are the only
movie venues.
Gondola moviegoers may sit two to a boat, with up to 10
guests per screening and boats kept metres apart. Admission is
500 pesos ($10), roughly the minimum daily wage in the capital.
The float-in cinema aims to lift the spirits of guests and
help film industry workers, said Graham Coates, head of
Megaworld Lifestyle Malls.
Guests bring their own earphones and listen to audio
broadcast at a radio frequency available only to those aboard
the gondolas.
Open-air cinemas are seeing a revival in many parts of the
world as the leisure industry figures out how to deal with the
constraints of the pandemic. = 48.07 Philippine pesos)

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