Downtown Cairo’s Zawya Cinema to Reopen on July 1st

As long as everything else is opening up, we might as well be able to go somewhere cool again, too. Local arthouse Zawya Cinema are welcoming Downtown Cairo's film buffs back to watch their unique selection of indie and artistic films on July 1st.

You can't just walk in like everything's still normal, though. Masks are mandatory within the vicinity, except when you're in the cinema hall itself (would be hard to ear popcorn with it on) - and if you didn't bring one with you, they're available for sale on site. Movie-goers’ temperatures’ will be measured at the entrance. Zawya encourages everyone to reserve and pay for their tickets on elcinemas.com to minimize cash payments, but it’s not a requirement. However, if you’re paying with cash, they'd rather you try to be socially responsible and pay with exact bills. And like everything else, the cinema can only hold up to 25% of its capacity at a time, with at least one seat between every two people.

Hand sanitizers will be placed around the space. The lobby, the screening halls and the toilets will be fully sanitised daily. Unfortunately, one of the most charming things about Zawya – their cute little seating space by the coffee bar – is now off-limits. You can still buy coffee and beverages, you just can't sit by the bar. It's for the best - you shouldn't be able to mess up something as sweet as Zawya Cinema just because someone decided not to #StaySafe - but we'll still be staring wistfully at it with a latte in hand.