Following the rise in energy costs caused by the war in the Middle East, the Egyptian government has started to react.
As Reuters emphasises, “This month Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly stated that Egypt’s energy import bill has more than doubled since the start of the war, forcing the government to raise fuel prices and public transport fares, as well as delay some projects to ease the strain on public finances.”
To reduce electricity consumption businesses now have to close at 9 p.m. on weekdays and 10 p.m. on weekends. This month-long measure directly impacts many businesses, including cinemas.
According to producer Gaby Khoury, cinemas have lost more than 60% of their revenue. As he explains, “The majority of box office revenue comes from the 9 p.m. and midnight screenings.” This has also affected several film releases.
To reduce these losses, the Prime Minister announced that he was examining proposals from the film industry, including the idea of grouping opening hours into three time slots: 6 p.m., 9 p.m. and midnight.
Sources: Egypt Independant, Japan Times, Reuters
