Cinema Now

Cinema Now captures the poignant stillness of London’s cinemas from December 2020 to May 2021, during the UK’s third nationwide lockdown. The UK government ordered strictest coronavirus lockdown tier from December 16, 2020, meaning the closure of cinemas across the country. Cinemas were only reopened half a year later, on May 17, 2021, leaving these cultural spaces in precarious limbo. Shot in the style of slow cinema (a genre of art cinema characterized by a style that is minimalist, observational, with little or no narrative, typically with long takes that enable a contemplative viewing effect), the 14-minute short presents a series of silent, motionless cinema exteriors. These range from repurposed industrial spaces to historic theatres and underground art-house venues, all frozen in time and activity.

Amidst the hazy, flickering images, the documentary sporadically features narration by various individuals who are frequent movie-goers. “It’s strange, kind of hard to explain. Like something’s missing” (1:53–2:12), a voice says about the absurd absence of cinema, within a deeper feeling of lockdown frustration and hollowness. The occasional pedestrian may incidentally cross the frame, as might a car or bicycle, but their indifferent footsteps underscore society’s forced detachment from communal viewing during lockdown. “People go there, we need that escapism, and they haven’t been able to do it” (7:50–7:56), another voice laments, reflecting psychological recalibration demanded by prolonged pandemic restrictions. “Some cinemas did not survive or continue to remain dormant” (12:46–12:52). The film eventually ends with this heavy statement, reminding the viewers of the pandemic predicament of cinema. The documentary conveys its central message on the reduction or disappearance of the social meaning of an occasion during a dystopian pandemic time. Cinemas, by nature, are communal spaces of social convergence, as they gather strangers in a shared darkness, invite collective viewing and emotional journeys, and offer both escapism and reflection.  The choice to use Super 8mm film further deepens the work’s meaning. The medium’s nostalgic quality contrasts sharply with the presence of the pandemic, creating a layered and contrasting temporal effect. However, this tension also echoes the state of the cinemas themselves: physically intact yet functionally suspended, caught between memory and an uncertain future.