‘I don’t care if it’s the Third World War’: Czech cinemagoers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The article focuses on the changes of Czech film viewers’ attitudes to cinemagoing during the COVID-19 pandemic. It presents an analysis of three focus group discussions performed in November 2021 with Czech film viewers and describes differing reactions to the pandemic in terms of people’s cinemagoing practices. It concludes that only enthusiastic film viewers with more extensive stocks of film-related knowledge remained faithful cinemagoers during the pandemic, whereas others were more difficult to attract back to cinemas. Some viewers expressed various levels of concerns and fears related to the pandemic, others expressed opposition to mask mandates, a portion of the Czech population was even annoyed by both. Furthermore, rising prices of cinema tickets were mentioned among reasons why people stopped going to cinemas or attended them less frequently. However, cinemagoing is an activity connected to various social interactions and other consumption activities, which makes it an important part of people’s lives and, as recent data on cinemagoing suggest, most viewers are likely return to cinemas, despite the uncertain situation.

Keywords:

• COVID-19
• cinemagoing
• Czech cinema
• film viewers
• Czech film

Acknowledgments

The study is a significantly revised and updated part of an unpublished research report conducted for the Czech Film Fund.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 To test the significant difference in the pre-pandemic and post-pandemic frequency of cinemagoing of selected categories of respondents independent t test was applied. Results of t test are summarized as follows: (1) H1: There is a significant difference in pre-pandemic frequency cinemagoing between the Faithful (M = 2.78, SD = 1.036) and the Discouraged (M = 2.73, SD = 1.016): H1 has not been accepted t(1561) = 0.940, p = 0.347); (2) H1: There is a significant difference in post-pandemic frequency cinemagoing between the Faithful (M = 1.86, SD = 2.043) and the Discouraged (M = 0.86, SD = 1.446): H2 has been accepted t(1458) = 10.923, p < 0.001); (3) H3: There is a significant difference in pre-pandemic frequency cinemagoing between the Discouraged (M = 2.73, SD = 1.016) and the Compensatory (M = 2.19, SD = 0.792): H3 has been accepted t(1284) = 8.928, p < 0.001); (4) H4: There is a significant difference in post-pandemic frequency cinemagoing between the Discouraged (M = 0.86, SD = 1.446) and the Compensatory (M = 0.25, SD = 0.582): H4 has been accepted t(1173) = 7.106, p < 0.001). Median of the pre-pandemic cinema visits in selected categories of respondents: the Faithful = 3–5 times per year; the Discouraged = 3–5 times per year; the Compensatory = 1-2 times per year; Non-goers = Never. Mean of post-pandemic cinema visits in selected categories of respondents: the Faithful = 1.86 film; the Discouraged = 0.86 film; the Compensatory = 0,25 film; Non-goers = 0.05 film.

2 Conversions from CZK to EUR counted using the average exchange rates in 2019 and 2021 (Kurzy.cz 2022).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic, project TL04000421 ‘Czech film viewer in the era of COVID-19: Reduction of impacts of the crisis and new opportunities for film distribution’.

Notes on contributors

Jan Hanzlík

Jan Hanzlík is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Arts Management at Prague University of Economics and Business. He has published articles and book chapters on Czech film production, distribution, and exhibition, and on labour market and professional careers.

Petr Szczepanik

Petr Szczepanik is an Associate Professor in Film Studies at Charles University, Prague. His current research focuses on East-Central European screen industries, production cultures, and public service media in the internet era.

Karel Čada

Karel Čada is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Managerial Psychology and Sociology at the Prague University of Economics and Business. He has published articles and book chapters on migration, sociology of consumption and economic sociology.

Zuzana Chytková

Zuzana Chytková is an associate professor at the Department of Marketing at Prague University of Economics and Business. She focuses on consumer research and culture, social marketing and social impact assessments.