Cinemas are set to reopen on April 17 (Myanmar New Year Day), sources said.
“The Myanmar Motion Picture Organization has been established for more than 70 years. Chairmen of motion picture organization and executives, who have been in charge for generations, are also working to prevent the collapse of the film industry, to prevent it from collapsing and to support the elderly. This has been done for a long time. It was first established with the aim of preserving movable and immovable property owned by the organization. In addition, arrangements were made for the annual alms-giving ceremonies and monthly pension for the elderly on a regular basis. People from the movie industry have been in trouble for two years. To support the people from the movie industry, who are having a hard time for their livings, we provided rice, cooking oil, salt, and beans and so on. We were able to support them up to the eighth time. This means that the organization protects and helps its members as much as possible. We continue to do this. In the process, it took about two years to provide support, especially to the supporting cast. When they arrived at the ceremony, they are glad to meet up as they had not seen each other for a long time. Some do not really want this support, but they are glad to meet up after a long absence. They were happy to see each other. For the past two years, some have even moved away from the film industry and some live in this industry as much as they can. But job opportunities for them are rare. For that, you have to make movies, you have to make them. It is necessary to show cinemas. The idea of having to show movies appeared in the organization. There is nothing the Myanmar Motion Picture Organization can do to show this. Only producers and cinemas can make them. We have not been making film for a long time. We are discussing that it is good to move. The main thing is to get the people from the film industry to work. We have the idea and intention to move forward. What can really be done is important to both the producers and the cinemas. We are consulting for that. We are choosing an auspicious day to reopen the cinemas. So the organization is watching to see if it happens. As I said earlier, we have a desire for the film industry to make a difference,” said Academy Award winning film Director Si Thu Kyi Soe Tun, the Chairman of the Myanmar Motion Picture Organization.
Cinemas across Myanmar have been shut down since mid-March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Currently, the Myanmar Motion Picture Organization is negotiating with producers and cinema owners several times to open cinemas. For now, we planned the cinemas to reopen on April 17 (Myanmar New Year's Day). However, further negotiations are still underway between the producers and the cinema owners. If the two sides reach an agreement, the cinemas will be able to reopen in coming New Year's Day. If no agreement is reached on the date of opening the cinemas, the opening date will be changed. So far, nothing can be said for sure,” said an official from the Myanmar Motion Picture Organization.
More than 100 new Myanmar films in 2019 and seven to eight new films were screened monthly in 2020. However, there are still some films that were made in the early 2019, have not yet been released.
