In anticipation of Italian audiences’ physical return to movie theatres, an event planned for 15 June but still mired in doubt due to the nature of the health crisis, Italian exhibitors have joined forces in order to re-connect with their public virtually. The result is #iorestoinSALA (I’m staying at the CINEMA), a new circuit of virtual movie theatres born out of an agreement between 71 exhibitors across the country (roughly 200 screens in all, but other cinemas can join the initiative at any point) and a group of distributors looking to offer high-quality online films, both first releases and catalogue titles, and to re-establish the link between the viewer and her or his own favoured cinema, which had effectively disappeared into the void during these past three months of black out.

“It’s a way for we exhibitors and cultural operators to come together and carry on with our profession, which is based on sociability and ongoing liaison with the general public”, explains Lionello Cerri, the founder of Milan’s Anteo cinema, which is one of the movie theatres signed up to the initiative. Each exhibitor will be wholly in charge of their own scheduling (as opposed to the other newly born initiative MioCinema – read our news) and will be able to develop their own particular focuses (themes, exhibitions, livestreams…). Viewers will buy tickets from the website of their chosen cinema and will each be given a code corresponding to a seat in the virtual movie theatre. By way of an agreement with the MyMovies platform, each digital cinema will simulate a cinema film screening, streaming the works at set times. Viewers will be able to see other audience members in the cinema and talk with the person next to them via chat services, as well as comment on the film.

The price for this home cinema experience will vary between a minimum of € 3.50 to a maximum of € 7.90. The funds will go to the pre-selected cinema, with a certain amount forwarded on to the distributor, in line with the rental agreements in place. It all kicks off on Tuesday 26 May with Bad Tales [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Fabio et Damiano D'Innocenzo
fiche film] by the D’Innocenzo brothers, Berlin’s Silver Bear winner; next will be Tornare [+lire aussi :
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bande-annonce
fiche film] by Cristina Comencini (on the 28^th) and The Bears’ Famous Invasion of Sicily [+lire aussi :
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interview : Lorenzo Mattotti
fiche film] by Lorenzo Mattotti (on the 30^th). The screenings will be preceded by live interviews with associated directors and actors, which will begin half an hour before the film commences. Other currently available titles include Guests in the Villa [+lire aussi :
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making of
fiche film] by Ivano De Matteo, It Must Be Heaven [+lire aussi :
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interview : Elia Suleiman
fiche film] by Elia Suleiman, The Invisible Life of Eurídice Gusmão [+lire aussi :
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bande-annonce
interview : Karim Aïnouz
fiche film] by Karim Aïnouz, On A Magical Night [+lire aussi :
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bande-annonce
interview : Christophe Honoré
fiche film] by Christophe Honoré, Heroic Losers [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] by Sebastián Borensztein, and Christoph Waltz’s directorial debut Georgetown.

The exhibitors’ idea is to continue providing these online movie theatres, even once cinemas have physically re-opened, so as to offer up a new system for accessing films following their time on the big screen: “We want to be here now, while cinemas are closed, but also tomorrow, once cinemas have re-opened”, Cerri specifies. “In accordance with release windows - that is, after 105 days, as stipulated by the law - viewers will be able to find films which they missed when they were first in cinemas and watch them from home via our online movie theatres”. It’s a small/big revolution in the field of cultural entrepreneurship, which just might lead to a new and concrete model of support for cinemas across the country.

A full list of the cinemas signed up to the #iorestoinSALA initiative is available here.