One of my absolute favourite things in the world, other than a delicious meal and watching a game of football, is going out to watch a film. From the popcorn to the trailers I love everything about the experience, one that is only amplified by the fact that it reminds me of spending time with my parents when I was younger. Just like Sunday night family dinners, going to the movies was a weekly ritual no matter where we lived.
Yet, ever since moving back to Abu Dhabi the extreme pleasure I used to take from going to the movies has been replaced with extreme frustration and exasperation. It seems like there is no moviegoing etiquette, despite the screening of advertisements that try to establish a code of conduct. I’ve been absolutely stunned as people had loud conversations with each other, spoke on the phone, took pictures, placed video calls, smoked cigarettes and generally made it unbearable to sit through a film.
When I first noticed how prevalent these incidents were and complained to my friends, I found that most of them saw this as an unfortunate norm and did not know what to do about it. Complaining to management, it seemed, was useless more often than not. Also, I slowly realised that this wasn’t behaviour reserved for children or teenagers, even adults saw nothing wrong with being belligerent. Anywhere else in the world this kind of behaviour would never be tolerated by the rest of the crowd. If anything, I can imagine a mob reaction and the offender being chased out of the cinema.
I’ve quickly learnt that going to the exclusive “gold” class style screenings of movies tends to be a bit more bearable, but even then there is no guarantee that the crowd will behave. There are definite perks. I enjoy the reclining seats, the blankets and the food. But even in these screenings I’ve had to sit through people casually answering their phones and having full conversations with total disregard for the rest of us.
Even though I personally find the gold class option more appealing overall, I find it unfair that I have to always rely on their limited screenings and constantly having to pay extra just to avoid a terrible experience.
We come from a culture that is very particular about what is or is not appropriate behaviour and places a high value on being respectful, especially in public. Therefore, I do not understand how the split has happened, how it has become either OK to behave badly in a cinema or just dismissed that going to watch a movie is not a pleasant experience.
I think we need a better solution than just accepting the situation or simply trying to avoid it. Why shouldn’t we make real efforts to change it? Anything from awareness campaigns that emphasise that there are certain behaviours that are unacceptable (not just at a movie theatre but generally in public spaces) or even more basic and direct methods such as implementing reception scramblers in all cinemas so that phones cannot be answered during a movie. I would gladly sacrifice communication for the ability to enjoy a film in peace. From a relaxation perspective, it would probably make the experience more enjoyable without the distraction of buzzing and constant notification. Or we could also look into people facing real repercussions for behaving badly. Kicking people out isn’t practical or ideal and in itself is a disrupting experience, but it could perhaps make a real change if people knew that poor behaviour will not be tolerated.
I want to emphasise that I really enjoy the social element of going to a film. I still remember clearly waiting in long lines for sold out showings of Lord of The Rings, Harry Potter and The Avengers with my sister in New York City. Spending time bonding with fans in line and sharing in our uncontrollable excitement during the film. I do not mean to argue that people should watch movies in silence. There is an element of community that is part of the draw of going to watch a film in cinemas such as the shared laughter, horror, or general rooting for the heroes. But there is a very clear difference between adding to the fun and ruining it. Our responsibility as movie goers is to be aware of this difference.
Fatima Al Shamsi is an Emirati who recently returned from New York City after pursuing a master’s degree in Global Affairs at New York University