Taiwan Minister of Culture Lee Yung-te on Tuesday urged his citizens to start returning to movie theaters as the country appears to have almost completely eliminated cases of the Chinese coronavirus.
Lee made the remarks alongside film director Chu Yu-ning and Vieshow Cinemas chairman Wu Ming-hsien. He pointed out that producers have continued to make films despite being in an “unprecedented situation” during the pandemic.
“Twenty-two local films are scheduled for release before the end of the year, or an average of four films per month,” he said, according to the Taipei Times, adding that people are now engaging in “retaliatory tourism,” having become frustrated with lockdown measures.
Lee also used the event to promote the ministry’s arts program, which will incentivize people to spend money in the arts and cultural sector by giving away million of electronic vouchers worth 600 NT ($20) each. The vouchers can be redeemed at over 10,000 venues nationwide, including movie theaters, museums, and bookstores, or used to book tickets online to artistic or cultural events.
Since March this year, nearly all venues providing culture or artistic entertainment around the world have been closed over fears of contagion of the coronavirus, while most exhibitions, events, and performances have been canceled or postponed. Reports this week indicated Box Office earnings across America are estimated to drop by 70 percent. Most analysts have shared the view that theaters will not re-open before September at the earliest.
Taiwan is widely regarded as one of the countries that has most effectively dealt with the coronavirus. The government quickly took control of its borders, introduced widespread testing, and implemented targeted quarantines with the support of mobile phone tracking. As of Wednesday, it has recorded just 451 cases of the virus and seven deaths, an astonishingly low figure relative to its population and proximity to China, where the virus originated.
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