14-05-2020

Poland Allows Restart of Filming and Outdoor Cinemas

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    Film set of Father Mateusz series Film set of Father Mateusz series photo: Paweł Rosiak

    WARSAW: Poland is loosening its COVID-19 social distancing laws, which will allow the restart of on set film production and outdoor cinemas. The new looser regulations will allow up to 50 people to meet in a gathering.

    "The third stage of lifting restrictions in connection with coronavirus assumes the operation of outdoor cinemas, resumption of work on film sets, conducting rehearsals and exercises, making phonographic and audiovisual recordings and conducting individual classes at art colleges," the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage informed the public.

    It is recommended that all team members resuming work on film sets work in masks, as long as this does not prevent them from effectively performing their tasks and duties. Exceptions include actors due to their makeup and hair style. In this case, it is recommended that they keep a distance from other members of the film crew. It is also recommended to limit the number of people on the set depending on the nature of the shooting day and to arrange the crew in such a way that larger clusters are not created, including separating zones of movement around the set.

    Car and outdoor cinemas can operate in Poland maintaining social distance. Viewers should stay in the car or at a designated place before, during and after the show. Any possible additional services at the cinema, including food and beverage, if allowed, can be delivered to the vehicle only by the cinema staff without the possibility of leaving the vehicle by the viewers, who are obliged to cover their mouth and nose with a mask or protective helmet for the entire period in which the window in the vehicle is ajar and when out of the vehicle. In the case of car cinemas, only passenger cars may be allowed to attend the shows.

    The Polish Minister of Culture Piotr Gliński emphasised that "determining the time and mode of restoring activity and detailed procedures related to ensuring the protection of employees' and the public's health is the responsibility of the director of a given institution."