Coronavirus shuts Italian cinemas, theaters, and museums

The coronavirus outbreak has severely disrupted Italy's entertainment industry, forcing the closure of cinemas, theaters, and museums across five northern regions—Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia, Friuli Venezia-Giulia, and Piedmont—until at least March 1. Box office revenue plummeted 65.39% on the first day of closures, totaling just €228,682. Mario Lorini, president of Anec (National Association of Cinema Exhibitors), called for extraordinary measures such as wage subsidies and declared a state of crisis nationally. The Milan Film Archive (Cineteca di Milano) responded by launching a streaming catalog. At least 14 film releases were postponed indefinitely, while two films—'Doppio sospetto' and 'La Gomera'—still opened on February 27. The educational sector was also hit, with school trips and didactic visits banned. Filippo Fonsatti, director of Teatro Stabile di Torino and president of Federvivo, noted that productions from central and southern Italy were stranded in the north, citing examples like Massimo Popolizio and Ascanio Celestini's shows in Turin. Estimated losses for theaters alone reached €10.1 million with 7,400 performances canceled through March 1. The Salone del Mobile in Milan was postponed from April to June.