Employees at Wanda Cinema in Beijing's Shijingshan district disinfect and block-off seats in screening halls on Thursday to prevent the spread of COVID-19 for its "restart" screening at midnight on Friday after film showings have been suspended for months. Photo: Li Hao/GT

China's film authorities have required domestic cinemas to arrange a break during screenings if a film lasts more than 120 minutes, media reported. 

Cinema operators reached by news outlets such as Sina Entertainment said they will strictly observe the rules after receiving the new orders. However, details such as the length of the break, or whether cinemas are required to disinfect the cinema during the break, have not yet been made clear.

According to the Red Star News, some cinemas in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, have already begun displaying the break notice on local cinema posters, notifying customers that the new rules are "2 hours watching, 5 minutes rest." 

Some believe the break will affect the audience's ability to get fully immersed in a film, while others think the short break is a smart way to be more responsible for the audience's safety amid the epidemic.

Cinemas reopened in low-risk areas in the Chinese mainland on July 20 after over 170 days of shutdown due to the virus outbreak.

Anti-epidemic measures launched on July 16 required cinema seating capacity be limited to 30 percent per screening, with a cap on films that ran for more than 2 hours. 

Cinema managers told media outlets that the cap of 120 minutes for films varies in different provinces. In Beijing, for example, most "overtime" movies can still be shown in theaters without a break.

As a result, many cinema operators are asking for more relaxed rules on the time limit, 30 percent audience capacity, and the restrictions on their ability to serve food.

As the number of cinema openings has increased, so has the number of new films scheduled for August. Cinemas said they hope operations can be normalized gradually, in order to be ready for the arrival of new blockbusters. 

Interstellar, which is brought back to cinemas on Sunday, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, which reopens on August 14, all exceed 120 minutes.