Cinemas Can Open In Semarang, Entrepreneurs: Be Patient

Cinema Illustration (Photo: IG @cinema.21)

JAKARTA - Semarang has received PPKM Level 2 status in the Semarang Mayor's Instruction Number 4 of 2021 which was uploaded on the hendrarprihadi.com portal. In the instruction, there are a number of loosening of rules carried out by referring to the Instruction of the Minister of Home Affairs Number 38 of 2021.

Among other things, Hendi emphasized the easing on the capacity and timing of community activities in the city of Semarang. Street vendors, places to eat, and so on can open a maximum of 9 pm with a maximum visitor capacity of 50%.

In addition, cinemas can also be reopened. However, until now, Hendra said that no cinema entrepreneur had applied for a license to open a business.

The chairman of the Indonesian Cinema Management Association (GPBSI) Djonny Syafruddin enthusiastically welcomed the granting of permission to open a cinema. However, as a businessman, he could not immediately open a cinema.

"Cinema is not necessarily like a shop, because there are no films. If you want to enter the cinema, import or national, you will see the market first. The priority is the Jabodetabek barometric because the market is 60% of the total," Djonny said when contacted Thursday, September 2.

Djonny chose to be patient. "We are waiting, be patient, the film is not yet available. Towards the end of the year the film is good. Producers are also still waiting and see. The audience capacity is only 50%, so many Indonesian films are holding back," he explained.

GPBSI, he continued, is currently coordinating with the relevant ministries to establish a protocol for watching movies in cinemas. "We are discussing the procedure for watching in theaters by showing a QR scan from Care Protect. If Jabodetabek can be opened, recommendations from the central government are there, it will definitely open," he explained.