Going to the movies is no longer the somewhat low-cost endeavour it used to be. The world over, the cinema experience has become more expensive, largely due to global inflation. In Nigeria specifically, the jump in prices has been more than noticeable, with a 100% hike in the last five years. Coupled with the increased penetration of streaming platforms, the cinema-going rate hasn’t boomed and the recent increase in revenue has mainly been spurred by the hike in prices, with a significant portion of viewers going to cinemas to see blockbuster Hollywood films.

Last year, the film industries in the US and the UK launched National Cinema Day, allowing cinemagoers to watch films at drastically reduced, uniform prices for a single day. In the US, more than 8 million people showed up at cinemas to watch films at the flat rate of $3. In the UK, over 1.5 million people watched films for €3—around three times the normal level. Last Saturday, more than 3,000 theatres joined in the second edition of National Cinema Day in the US, with more than 8.5 million moviegoers participating in the $4 flat rate for movie tickets. Next Saturday, September 2^nd, more than 630 theatres in the UK will be showing films for €3.

 

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Following suit, the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN) has announced a heavily discounted, flat price for cinemagoers in celebration of National Cinema Day. Similar to the UK, it will take place on September 2^nd, and cinemagoers will be able to watch films for N1,000 across 50 cinema locations in Nigeria. Participating cinemas include popular multi-venue chains like Filmhouse Cinemas, Genesis Cinemas, Silverbird Cinemas, and more. “We believe this will bring together audiences of all ages to enjoy a day at the movies and see any movie of their choice at a discounted ticket price of N1,000,” CEAN president Opeyemi Ajayi said in a statement. “We are doing this to say thank you to movie-goers and promote the cinema-going culture as well as to remind audiences about the magic of cinema.”

Nigerian cinemagoers likely to take advantage of the reduced prices will be spoilt for choices, as a handful of blockbuster are currently showing in cinemas. In addition to worldwide smashes ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’, there’s the new DC superhero film ‘Blue Beetle’, the ongoing local box office sensation, ‘Orisa’, the new Yoruba epic ‘Kesari’, Niyi Akinmolayan’s children’s film, ‘Mikolo’, the long-tenured fourth film in the epic action franchise, ‘Mission Impossible’, and more. Grab your popcorns!

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