Things are returning to something like normal in Slovenia, as the country emerges from the first wave of the pandemic, picks up at the start of summer and looks to the future, with the hope of good health and prosperity.
The latter will depend on people going out and doing things to get businesses up and running once more, working within the remaining restrictions to ensure the former – masks, social distancing, increased hygiene and so on.
Kinodvor, the arts cinema in Ljubljana that shows current and recent features and shorts for adults and children – and which, together the classic archive Kinoteka does so much to keep movie-going alive in the capital – reopened on Monday, 1 June.
Curious as to how the restrictions still in place will impact the experience of going to the cinema, we got in touch with Aliki Kalagasidu, the theatre’s PR, and asked a few questions.
Is there distance between the seats?
Well, moving the seats in Kinodvor’s hall isn't possible because they’re fixed to the ground. However we’re selling a limited amount of tickets so that everybody who buys a ticket will be seated at least 1.5 m apart. Families, couples, and so on can of course sit together.
Do people need to wear masks when in the cinema?
No, not with the 1.5 m rule, but in all other spaces where keeping that distance isn't possible, masks should be worn.
What other changes have you made?
We have fewer screenings per day and the amount of time between the screenings is at least an hour so the hall can be cleaned, the seat's arm rests and doorknobs disinfected. Between the last show of the present day and the first show of the next the hall is disinfected and then "sealed" so nobody can enter. The hall is also aired before and after every screening. Hand sanitizers are in place before entering the cinema and the hall. We are of course strictly following all other rules and recommendations by the health authorities.
What’s current programme?
It consists of re-runs of some spring titles, such as the documentary Maiden whose running was cut short by the lockdown. It's really an incredible story and I cannot recommend it enough.
In the next two weeks three new films are premiering, although without the usual related events. These are Little Joe by Jessica Hausner from 4 June, the Romanian The Whistlers from 8 June and the Swedish Britt-Marie Was Here from 11 June. Kinodvor will also host the Documentary Film Festival, along with Cankarjev dom, from 9 to 16 June with screenings of select documentary features. So the programme of the whole month will consist of new titles as well as some re-runs, like Judy, Parasite, 1917, Little Women. The full schedule is here.
The documentary festival includes the following, among many other titlesWhat about for children?
There are no special children's events yet, but we have screenings of children's films, on Saturdays and Sundays, one screening per day, as part of Kinobalon.
