Representatives of the Ukrainian film community addressed the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal and the head of the Kyiv City State Administration Vitaliy Klychko with an open letter to exclude cinemas from the list of establishments that are prohibited from operating during quarantine restrictions.
The letter was signed by the following organizations: the Ukrainian Film Academy, the Association of the Film Industry of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Film Association and the Union of Cinemas of Ukraine.
The full text of the letter below:
Dear Denis Anatoliyovych and Vitaliy Volodymyrovych!
Representatives of the Ukrainian creative industries - associations of the NGO "Ukrainian Film Academy", GS "Association of the Film Industry of Ukraine", Association "Ukrainian Film Association", GS "Union of Cinemas of Ukraine", which include thousands of representatives of the Ukrainian film industry. overcoming the economic crisis and changing the quarantine model to a more effective one.
We must state that strict quarantine measures significantly deepen the economic crisis in the film distribution industry. As a result of the crisis and lockdowns, the movie market has lost $ 138 million over the past year, many movie theaters have closed, and those that operate will not withstand a single blow.
It should be noted that the volume of cinema fees in Kyiv is almost 50% of the fees from all over the country. And in the event of the closure of cinemas in Kyiv, the cinema market will not rise at all, as the six-month low season will follow. Of course, human life is the highest value. But it must be borne in mind that the mass layoffs that have already taken place and continue, bankruptcies, economic downturns - also have their price, measured in human lives.
The effectiveness of strict quarantines in overcoming the epidemic is not high, but models focused on extensive testing and isolation of risk groups, mass vaccination, and point-by-point restrictions on the work of the most risky institutions have already proven their effectiveness.
Thus, according to a new study by scientists from Stanford University, the most risky for covid infection are the following institutions: cafes, restaurants, fitness centers, hotels, religious organizations. Cinemas are not recognized as such.
It should be added that cinemas are one of the safest places, because they are, firstly, very strictly adhere to sanitary norms, and secondly, thanks to the technology of equipping cinemas in accordance with technical standards - these rooms are ten times cleaner in the air during one session the complete change of air in the hall occurs at least 20 times). The risks of infection in cinemas are much lower than in transport, their work does not pose a significant threat of the spread of the virus.
Therefore, it is considered appropriate not to impose restrictions on the operation of cinemas, as they are not establishments with the highest risk of infection, allowing cinemas to operate subject to safety measures.
In addition, in such a difficult situation, the film industry considers unacceptable broad quarantine restrictions, which primarily affect workers with wages average and below average, who do not have significant savings. Therefore, it is extremely important to change the quarantine restrictions, which are planned to be introduced in Kyiv from March 20, to exclude cinemas from the restrictions.
We call on the Chairman of the Kyiv City State Administration, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine - to urgently consider the submitted proposals and take appropriate decisions.
Sincerely,
- NGO "Ukrainian Film Academy"
- GS "Association of the Film Industry of Ukraine"
- Association "Ukrainian Film Association"
- GS "Union of Cinemas of Ukraine"
