Magic in Greek moonlight as outdoor cinemas open

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Magic in Greek moonlight as outdoor cinemas open

Cinema operators expect revenues to fall up to 40% due to coronavirus restrictions

Published: June 07, 2020 16:49 AP and Compiled by Christian Borbon, Digital Content Editor

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Copy of Virus_Outbreak_Greece_Open_Air_Cinemas_Photo_Gallery_77445.jpg-db564-1591533449556 — They're like enchanted pleasure gardens concealed in the depths of the city that open their gates for a few months every year. Image Credit: AP

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Copy of APTOPIX_Virus_Outbreak_Greece_Open_Air_Cinemas_Photo_Gallery_97212.jpg-95e50-1591533433836 — And like so much else, Greece's open-air cinemas - where you can enjoy a movie in the flower-scented moonlight with a drink, a snack and even a smoke - have been hard-hit by lockdown measures. Image Credit: AP

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20200607 greece cinemas — Under the country's partial reopening, open-air cinemas started operating on June 1, a month late and with considerable restrictions: Far fewer seats and no interval, both of which are bad for revenues. Image Credit: AP

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Copy of Virus_Outbreak_Greece_Open_Air_Cinemas_Photo_Gallery_02987.jpg-505f4~1-1591533438152 — Business so far has been slow, due to these establishments' main operational hazard even in sunny Greece - rain. 'It's been raining for three days,' said projector operator Pavlos Lepeniotis, mopping hard as an afternoon downpour soaked the spaced-out seats and sent cats disdainfully stalking off into cover. Image Credit: AP

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20200607 two people — 'We had about two people at each show,' he said. 'They enjoyed the film, though, and thanked us afterwards. ... We don't ever close all summer and we like that, we have a good time here.' Image Credit: AP

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Copy of APTOPIX_Virus_Outbreak_Greece_Open_Air_Cinemas_Photo_Gallery_18519.jpg-738b2-1591533453761 — Lepeniotis works at the Zephyros cinema in Athens' central Petralona district, built in 1933. It's festooned with posters for its specialty, 1950s, `60s and '70s arthouse films. Image Credit: AP

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20200607 zephyros — Health restrictions forced operators to roughly halve seating, with 120 of Zephyros' usual 250 seats laid out - many accompanied by a round metal table for cinema-goers to rest their drinks. 'At first they had asked us to not even put pairs of seats close by. How would that have worked for couples?' Lepeniotis said. Image Credit: AP

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Copy of Virus_Outbreak_Greece_Open_Air_Cinemas_Photo_Gallery_82485.jpg-489e9~1-1591533424665 — Cinema operators expect revenues to fall up to 40% due to the restrictions. Image Credit: AP

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Copy of Virus_Outbreak_Greece_Open_Air_Cinemas_Photo_Gallery_38710.jpg-2395e-1591533445284 — Film reels are stacked inside a warehouse at the Zephyros open-air cinema that specializes in films from past decades in Athens' central Petralona district. Image Credit: AP

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Copy of Virus_Outbreak_Greece_Open_Air_Cinemas_Photo_Gallery_42298.jpg-786f6-1591533429538 — Projector operator Pavlos Lepeniotis, left, and his wife Christina Tsouta, place a poster for an upcoming film outside the Zephyros open-air cinema that specializes in films from past decades in the Petralona district in central Athens. Image Credit: AP

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Copy of APTOPIX_Virus_Outbreak_Greece_Open_Air_Cinemas_Photo_Gallery_92671.jpg-04a23-1591533441116 — projector operator Pavlos Lepeniotis operates his equipment and peers out from the projection booth at the Zephyros open-air cinema that specializes in films from past decades in Athens' central Petralona district. Image Credit: AP

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