Throughout 2020, there were many films that exploded while reflecting on a year of worries and fears.
In the first months of the epidemic, Spanish terrorism “O Bono”, for example, erupted on Netflix. His preface – in a vertical prison, where the characters are locked up amidst uncertainty – seemed to translate well what many felt, locked up at home.
The climate of dystopia around it has even sparked a resurgence of old films, many years after they were released, such as “Contagio” which has been a hit since 2011, making it one of the most viewed topics on streaming and rental sites.
Prior to all of this, however, the first months of 2020 marked a relatively quiet year in the cinema universe.
The biggest hurdle to the status quo so far with the South Korean “parasite” Oscar award was to give Hollywood its most coveted idol for the first time to a non-English film. In March, one-time legendary producer Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison after allegations of rape and sexual harassment surfaced.
But it was in that month that Covit-19 headed west, forcing those theaters to close in Brazil.
As projectors were turned off in most parts of the world, the exhibition park plunged into unprecedented crisis. Even after months of inactivity, reopening is hampered by public distrust and continuing security protocols, which could hamper the sector’s recovery.
Reduced general capacity, restricted sales of popcorn, gel alcohol is supported everywhere, air conditioning cleaning and maintenance methods. These measures encourage a return to movie theaters where bleeding is expected to continue into 2021.
The fall of the audience was not unheard of for many years, but Covid took the exhibitors by surprise and accelerated a crisis that was moving at a slow pace.
The long-standing, but already fragile, partnership issues between rooms and studios could not be alleviated. Rather. The big Hollywood companies soon tried to find alternative ways to launch their films in the midst of social isolation. They return to their own streaming sites, destroying the expectations of the theaters and coming to Wonder Woman to save them.
The new superhero film is set to hit theaters in the United States at the same time as needed, and is one of several titles scheduled to launch early in 2020, which should be postponed or released on other platforms.
For example, “Mulan” and “Soul” took this route via Disney +. Since this year’s legacy, this choice is partly due to fears that 2021 movies should be released.
That’s why Warner Bros. It has announced that all of its 17 films scheduled for next year will be shown in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously in the United States.
Universal, who is most impressed with the protocol, closed a deal with two of the world’s leading cinema chains, AMC and Cinemark, to close the window – exclusively for movie theaters – for 75 to 17 days. Declared an emergency measure, the reduction will continue in the future.
Although the studios had their own streaming weapons, some exhibitors tried to avoid isolation by setting up drive-in cinemas. In Brazil, and in many countries, this type of entertainment that came from the past has become fashionable again, as a safe alternative to fun.
This model has been used by some festivals and film shows, and if they do not leave the 2020 editions, their design should be reconsidered. After the Cannes cancellation, the Venice Festival season reopened in a more restricted but personal edition.
Toronto, soon, opted for a hybrid programming, with online movie sessions and some screenings at cinemas or outdoors. In Brazil, the Sவோo Paulo Film Festival followed a similar strategy, motorizing rooms and digitalizing them.
Back in Hollywood, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences caused a stir for the film “Parasite” after the Oscars. First, by announcing that films released only in streaming will qualify for the next edition of the award, which came two months late until April.
In September, it attacked and recommended criticisms over the years for its lack of diversity among its members, and announced a series of new guidelines aimed at giving more visibility to women, non-whites, Latinos, LGBTs and the general public. Disadvantages.
It was the year that accelerated the changes that had already taken place on the cinema horizon. Now 2020 is coming to an end, and one more thing has come up – China has overtaken the United States as the major film market and one of its products, “Eight Hundred”, tops the box office list for the highest annual.
Next year, old Hollywood, take care.