Italian Cinemas Reopen April 26 with Limited Capacity and Curfew

Italian cinemas reopen on April 26, 2021, after a long closure due to the pandemic, but with a 50% capacity limit, mandatory masks, social distancing, and a 10 PM curfew that severely restricts evening screenings. The reopening is seen as a slow restart, with full recovery expected only in September 2021 after the summer outdoor season and the 78th Venice Film Festival. Key releases include 'Minari' by Lee Isaac Chung (April 26), 'Mank' by David Fincher (April 26 via Lucky Red), 'Pieces of a Woman' by Kornél Mundruczó (May 5), 'Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn' by Radu Jude (April 29), and 'Maternal' by Maura Delpero (May 13). The industry will gather online on May 4 for the Sorrento Reload Cinema Professional Days to present the May–July lineup, and later at Ciné in Riccione (July 20–23) for the broader autumn-winter schedule. Many films are adopting hybrid distribution, releasing simultaneously on streaming platforms and in theaters. Italian titles awaiting release include 'Così sarà' by Francesco Bruni, 'I predatori' by Pietro Castellitto, 'Volevo nascondermi' by Giorgio Diritti, 'Il cattivo poeta' by Gianluca Jodice (starring Sergio Castellitto as Gabriele D'Annunzio), and 'Ritorno al crimine' by Massimiliano Bruno.