Brussels, (Brussels Morning)- Last month you could go to a movie in a cinema near you for only one euro. The promotion was well received, because almost all tickets were sold out almost immediately in Brussels. “The desire to go to the cinema is greatest in Brussels,” says Jeanne Brunfaut, director of the Francophone Centre for Cinema and Audiovisual Arts.
From the beginning of September until Tuesday you can go to the cinema in Brussels for the symbolic price of one euro. The action is called ‘Je Peux Pas, J’ai Cinema’ and is an initiative of the French-speaking Centre for Cinema and Audiovisual Arts, an organisation of the Wallonia-Brussels federation.
A total of 20,000 tickets for one euro were available for cinemas in Wallonia and Brussels. Here in Brussels there were 12,234 tickets for the cinema, of which 11,900 were sold, says BRUZZ.
That is more than half of the tickets that were available across the two regions. “In Brussels you have many more neighbourhood cinemas than in any other province in Wallonia and the habit of going to see a film is greater”, Brunfaut remarks, “although we notice above all that the desire to go to the cinema, in Brussels is the largest.”
All together to the cinema
The aim of the initiative is to make visitors enthusiastic about the cinema again. Since the start of the pandemic, cinemas have been struggling with declining visitor numbers. “We also want to show that leisure activities don’t have to be expensive, especially in a full energy crisis,” says Jeanne Brunfaut, director of the Francophone Centre for Cinema and Audiovisual Arts.
Nine Brussels cinemas took part in the promotion: Cinema Palace, Vendome, Jacques Frank, La Vénerie, Galeries, Aventure, White Cinema Docks, CinéFlagey and Stockel.
For each ticket sold, the Wallonia-Brussels Federation will reimburse the participating cinemas at the usual rate in order to support them financially.
The French-speaking Centre for Cinema and Audiovisual Arts hopes for a fourth edition next year. “We are going to report to our Minister of Culture, but if it depends on us, we will make it a real party next year.”
