Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism must work with the Ministry of Health and concerned organisations to consider the reopening of cinema theatres nationwide, with the COVID-19 situation taken into account, according to a notice newly released by the Government’s Office.
The notice announces Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s feedback on a petition sent by several cinema operators in Hanoi asking for permission to resume their businesses ahead of Tet, the Vietnamese traditional lunar New Year, since the country has entered the “new normal” phase.
The petition emphasised that people have high demands for entertainment and cultural activities during the Tet holiday, while many Vietnamese films are slated to debut on this occasion after nearly two years of delays.
Hanoi is one of the most important markets that occupies a lion’s share of revenues in the film industry in Vietnam, it noted.
To carry out the dual goals of pandemic control and socio-economic development, the operators asked for a pilot reopening of theatres, with disease prevention measures stringently in place. They also hope this will enable Vietnamese films to reach a wide audience during the upcoming holiday and to create a chance for filmmakers and businesses in the industry to recover financially to continue to survive and grow.
Cinema theatres in Hanoi have been closed since May last year, when the fourth wave infections surged, but have been allowed to reopen in HCM City, the former epicentre of this wave, since late November when the outbreak subsided. At the moment, Hanoi is leading the country in new daily COVID-19 caseload./.
