Italy has been hit hardest in Europe by the COVID-19 coronavirus, going from 2800 cases on Wednesday to now close to 5800 on Saturday. During this same period of time, the death toll rose from 36 to 233 casualties. This has affected businesses, schools, and government offices all around the country.
And yet, the Italian government is still trying its best to have movie theaters remain open.
After their ban on public greetings such as kisses and handshakes, a newly instilled law to let Italian cinemas stay open has been announced, requiring any moviegoer to sit three seats apart from his fellow movie watcher. Not necessarily the worst idea I’ve ever heard, especially in a part of the world which has been devastated by the virus, due in part to its pronounced elderly population [via ScreenDaily].
The public health suggestions at the moment in Italy say that people should stay 5-6 feet apart from each other. And yet, does it make that much of a difference if people sit far away from each other in theaters if others end up using the same seats later on? It somewhat minimizes the risk of transmission, since fewer people can get in, but ultimately, people can still get the virus.
Criterion's December lineup has some great additions to the library, but the title that jumped out at me is Werner Herzog's "Grizzly Man," which officially joins the Collection on December 8.