University students, people who work in the afternoons, and avid cinephiles are the audience that has found refuge in the morning sessions at the Verdi cinemas. It is the only cinema in Barcelona that offers this option every day of the week and not just on Saturdays and Sundays, as is done in other theaters.
The management decided to open all day after the acquisition of the film distribution group A Contracorriente, which came to the rescue of the emblematic Gràcia cinemas in 2014 and currently owns 100% of the shares. "We had to make the mornings profitable," explains its programmer, David García, "a room was opened for schools and we thought that, if we did it with one, we could do it with the other four."
With this commitment, the Verdi cinemas expanded their morning schedule, with a session at 11:30 AM programmed every day of the week. The morning shows thus became one of the jewels of these theaters, giving their attendees the luxury of enjoying any film calmly, without the noise of other people's popcorn or annoying chatter. And, many times, in absolute solitude, only accompanied by the auditorium.
That peace guaranteed by the morning sessions has been even more valued with COVID, when attendance has doubled, reaching an average of 20 spectators. Attendees have found in morning films a way to go to the cinema with few people and very amply guaranteeing safety distances. Families have also been seduced by this option, considering that it is scheduled on weekends.
After the summer break, the morning shows at the Verdi cinemas return this week. The French comedy Dios mío, ¿pero qué nos has hecho?, the children's film Tadeo Jones 3. La tabla esmeralda and Jordan Peele's latest psychological horror film, ¡Nop!, will be some of the films that can be seen starting this Friday.
The ticket for the 11:30 AM session has a reduced cost compared to the afternoons, at 6.5 euros. For Friends of the Verdi, it costs 5 euros.