Ireland's cinemas have suffered a massive drop-off when it comes to the number of films they're screening – with fewer films certified for release this year than at any point since the early 2000s.
Figures released to the Irish Mirror show that just 227 films have been certified for release so far in 2020 – a fall-off of nearly 50% since the same point in 2019.
And Ger Connolly, the director of film classification at at the Irish Film Classification Office (IFCO), told the Irish Mirror the figures so far this year are as low as the organisation has seen since the early 2000s.
Connolly said the reduction is "totally" a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has devastated the film industry all over the world.
At the same point in 2019, on October 31, 417 films had been certified for cinema release in Ireland – a figure that's 45% higher than this year's.
It comes as cinemas all across Ireland stay shut amid ongoing Level Five restrictions.
By the end of last year, a total of 509 films had been certified for release, according to IFCO's annual report.
The number marked a 10.7% increase on 2018, after years of rises in the number of films hitting the big screen across Ireland.
IFCO – the State body in charge of slapping age restrictions on films shown in our country's cinemas – might have fewer films to process this year, but Mr Connolly told the Irish Mirror there has "been no change in business operations."
While Ireland's cinemas are showing fewer films, those making movies across the country are getting creative to keep going amid the pandemic.
On Sunday, the Cork International Film Festival will kick off for a 65th time, with a "carefully curated" programme that features several exciting offerings.
It's taking place online due to the imposition of Level Five restrictions across Ireland, as the country battles to bring the spread of Covid-19 under control.
