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Indonesia’s ‘under the stars’ movie nights offer safe respite from COVID blues

Tue 01 Dec 2020    
EcoBalance
| < 1 min read

A row of colourful teepees cluster across the horizon, overlooking the Indonesian city of Bandung, set up each evening in front of a large screen.

Named the ‘Cinema Under the Stars’ for its unique outdoorsy camp-style set up, the movie venue opened two months ago in the populous province of West Java with the aim of keeping people both entertained and socially distanced.

Piled high with pillows, blankets and snacks to build a quintessential cozy atmosphere, each tent is also equipped with hand sanitiser and disinfectants in line with health protocols, organisers say.

Visitors lounge at the entrances to the tents around small tables stocked with food and drink, all lit up by candlelight.

COVID restrictions allow for no more than three people to each of the 28 tents, which are spaced about 2 metres apart (6.6 ft).

The cost for each screening is 215,000 rupiah ($15.25) per movie.

“We started this business during the pandemic, that’s why we were brainstorming about how to attract visitors as people have a thirst for entertainment in times like these,” said Ilham Fahri Suhada, one of the organisers, in a interview with Reuters.

Amassing over 530,000 infections and 16,000 deaths, Indonesia currently ranks the highest in terms of logged coronavirus cases and fatalities in Southeast Asia. With limited testing and contact tracing in place, experts fear the actual number may be far higher.

Unlike its neighbours, the country — the world’s fourth most populous with 270 million residents — has not had national lockdowns but has instead imposed localised social restrictions.

[Sourced from Agencies]