File photo of a private cinema in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. (Photo/southcn.com)
China's burgeoning movie market has been a boon for filmmakers and cinema chain operators. But behind the booming box-office results, private screening rooms are also quietly flourishing.
Based on online search results, there are now over 90 private cinemas and screening rooms operating around Shanghai. Most are small, with three to 12 rooms located in office buildings and residential areas. Frequenters to these venues are mostly young couples and friends who say they enjoy the comfort and privacy of such venues over public cinemas.
One such screening room listed on Dianping.com, an online lifestyle community, is Kimio Homo located in a residential apartment complex on Xujiahui Road.
"The place is tiny but clean, nice and very cozy. It's a good place for private gatherings like birthday parties or team building activities," wrote a Dianping user under the name of Yueyuyoutong.
While the address and contact information of Kimio Homo are listed online, some visitors still say it is a bit hard to find on their first visit. Despite that, operators say business has been good since the establishment opened in the summer.
"Making reservations through WeChat and Dianping.com is required," said a staff member at Kimio Homo who answered the business hotline.
The same building has another two private cinemas on its 4th and 8th floors. Visitors to these establishments also need to book screenings in advance.
"There are a lot more movies to choose from in private cinemas," Max Zhang, a 20-something IT worker and an occasional private screening-room visitor, told Shanghai Daily. "Compared with a major public cinema, my girlfriend and I can have a tailor-made, casual experience. We can change between movies and chat."
At Kimio Homo, couples can rent a room for as little as 100 yuan ($15.77) for three hours. There is a 25 yuan charge for each additional guest. Other cinemas charge similar rates on weekdays, although fees tend to rise on weekends and holidays.
While many such cinemas can be found on social-media and listing websites, in the offline world they often keep low profiles. Most are also small, with screening rooms emphasizing intimacy and comfort. Some originally opened as private gaming rooms, but have recently diversified into the private-screening business.
