Cinema and theater closures, reactions: with this dpcm, culture is finished

There are many reactions to the dpcm mandating the closure of cinemas and theaters. Starting from the world of politics, the day began with anappeal by the councillors for culture of major Italian cities (Rome, Milan, Genoa, Florence, Turin, Bologna, Venice, Ancona, Bari, Cagliari) who consider the lockout “unjustified,” consider “opportune and necessary a review of this provision,” and make themselves available to “concert measures to make the reopenings of the performing arts venues in our cities and throughout Italy even more effective and safe.” Opposition stances followed throughout the day, from Matteo Salvini of the League (“Closing activities such as gyms, cinemas and theaters that have invested so much in recent months to adapt health safety standards is nonsense. Safe and controlled places, why pick on them”) to Giorgia Meloni of Fratelli d’Italia (“In May the government imposed safety protocols to restart, entrepreneurs invested money to adapt. Now the government is closing swimming pools, gyms, cinemas and theaters and imposing bars and restaurants to close at 6 p.m. Conte has a duty to apologize and compensate them.”).

But also expressing opposition are members of the majority: the president of the Senate Culture Committee, Riccardo Nencini of the Italia Viva-PSI group, has promoted a petition, launched by Italia Viva itself, stating that “Cinemas and theaters must remain open. And gyms and swimming pools too! The priority now is to limit the contagion, putting in place all possible measures to contain the spread of the Coronavirus in this, as it is called, second wave.” Of the same opinion is also the mayor of Naples, Luigi de Magistris, who, speaking on the program Non è l’arena on La7, used very harsh words: “with this dpcm culture is over,” he said. “The San Carlo Theater, the oldest in Europe, 1,250 seats, I cannot understand why it should close, but I give an example and I could give others,” added de Magistris according to which “whole categories of young people will definitely go into a situation of desperation with these measures.” Walter Veltroni is also along the same lines, advancing the comparison between cinemas and churches: “I wonder if it is right to authorize masses and not theaters and cinemas where there has been nothing,” he wondered on the program Che tempo che fa on Rai Tre. Instead, activist Aboubakar Soumahoro directly addressed Cultural Heritage Minister Dario Franceschini: “Minister Franceschini, the curtain has come down on culture, food of the soul and garrison of hope that defeats dictatorship of mediocrity. We need to have strategic vision to protect health, rights of the invisible of music, theater and cinema and their socio-economic value.”

From the world of culture, among the first to take a stand is author, writer and TV face Serena Dandini. “Do not close cinemas and theaters. They are places of necessity, and they are above all safe places. I join the many appeals that have been made in these hours, from the ’Vissi d’arte’ of so many cultural figures to that of the Hundred Authors to that of so many councillors of Culture of Italy.” Thus instead actor Lino Guanciale: “Today is not easy. With a lot of work, passion and professionalism we have tried to get the live performance machine back on track. We cannot stop it now.” Guanciale invites people to sign Cultura Italiae’s petition, one of the many that are taking place in these hours.

And again, singer Fiorella Mannoia: “So far in the theaters where they have performed, colleagues, actors and writers ... there has been only one case of Covid, everything has been done according to the rules and the theater to date is one of the safest places. But fairs, churches, museums, championship games will remain open. But we won’t.” Speaking on Domenica In, actor and host Ezio Greggio said, “It is a huge mistake to close cinemas and theaters. They are the safest places of all. Already there are few people who go to the cinema in general, so limiting access to the cinema means taking away freedom, taking away culture.” Director Gabriele Muccino: “Closing cinemas and theaters says only one thing: that no one among those who wanted this measure bothered to go to the cinema in the last two months. He would have found at most 10 people in the theater for each show. At most! There was really no reason for it.”

“You can’t keep quiet, it’s getting crazy here,” says director Emma Dante instead. “This further closure of theaters is a war, a war on our sector, unjust and unjustifiable. And yes, theaters and cinemas, and I say this loud and clear, are as safe as hospitals. I am bitter, I am thinking of some public action to protest. Yes, I want to think of something strong in the coming days because this closure is something that I can only call shameful.” He uses the weapon of irony actor Andrea Pennacchi, who already wrote yesterday on Twitter, “but let’s close them, these theaters, postriboli, filthy hotbeds of contagion.” Voice actor Luca Ward also expresses his disappointment, calling the decision to close cinemas and theaters a “delirium.” And then, the director and founder of the Giffoni Film Festival, Claudio Gubitosi, addresses “a further and heartfelt invitation to review this position as soon as possible with the Technical-Scientific Committee.” At the moment, Gubitosi writes, “there is no data to confirm how many cinemas, after the first lockdown, have closed permanently,” he writes, “since they have been reopened, cinemas and theaters are the safest places to be together. A thousand-seat hall can only hold two hundred, spaced out, even with dividers. All safety regulations apply in and out.”

The above are just some of the many reactions to the dpcm, and many more are coming minute by minute.

Cinema and theater closures, reactions: with this dpcm, culture is finished

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