Cut! Popcorn, candy ban hits French cinemas’ virus recovery

By JOHN LEICESTER
Associated Press

MARLY-LE-ROI, France (AP) — The increasingly fraught fight in France against an unprecedented surge in coronavirus infections is putting a stop to eating and drinking in entertainment venues. That means no more munching, crunching and slurping while watching a movie. The anti-coronavirus measures kick in Monday, once France’s New Year celebrations are out of the way, and also apply to theaters, sports venues and public transport. The ban of at least three weeks on eating and drinking is another blow to entertainment venues that have suffered through lockdowns. France’s National Center for Film and Moving Images said Thursday that French cinemas sold 96 million tickets this year. That’s a jump of 47% compared to 2020 but still down 55% compared to 2019, before the pandemic.