As daylight drained from the sky in Brazil’s capital, dozens of cars formed a line, all filled with passengers set to indulge in one of the few diversions allowed in the age of social distancing: a film at the drive-in.
Red lantern in hand, Jair de Souza guided the drivers through the drive-in’s entrance and showed them to their designated parking spots. “Every car must respect the distance, leaving a free parking space between you,” he tells each of them.
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As daylight drained from the sky in Brazil’s capital, dozens of cars formed a line, all filled with passengers set to indulge in one of the few diversions allowed in the age of social distancing: a film at the drive-in.
Minutes before the show began, people retrieved from their trunks the popcorn and snacks brought with them from home. Children sitting in the cars’ back seats were wild with excitement.
“My kids couldn’t stand being stuck inside home anymore,” Cavalcanti said. “My wife saw the ad for the drive-in and suggested we come. It was the only option to leave home and still stay safe.”
A family wearing face masks watches a movie at a drive-in where drivers must leave one space empty between them amid the spread of the new coronavirus in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, May 13, 2020. The drive-in was closed at the start of the pandemic but reopened to the public at the start of April. (AP PhotoEraldo Peres)
Eduardo Cavalcanti and his children watch a film at a drive-in movie theater where drivers must leave one space empty between them amid the new coronavirus pandemic in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, May 13, 2020. “My kids couldn’t stand being stuck inside home anymore,” Cavalcanti said. “My wife saw the ad for the drive-in and suggested we come. It was the only option to leave home and still stay safe.” (AP PhotoEraldo Peres)
A worker carries a red lantern to signal drivers at the drive-thru movie theater amid the new coronavirus pandemic in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, May 13, 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Brasilia drive-in has been operating with only 150 cars, occupying about one-third of the lot. (AP PhotoEraldo Peres)
Children watch a film from inside their car at a drive-in movie theater where drivers must leave one space empty between them amid the new coronavirus pandemic in Brasilia, Brazil, Saturday, May 23, 2020. Movie-goers bring popcorn and snacks from home. (AP PhotoEraldo Peres)
Drivers arrive at the drive-in movie theater where drivers must leave one space empty between them amid the new coronavirus pandemic in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, May 13, 2020. Cars are filled with passengers set to indulge in one of the few diversions allowed in the age of social distancing. (AP PhotoEraldo Peres)
A screen plays a movie at a drive-in movie theater where drivers must leave one space empty between them amid the new coronavirus pandemic in Brasilia, Brazil, May 13, 200. The drive-in was closed at the start of the pandemic but reopened to the public at the start of April. (AP PhotoEraldo Peres)
The Brasilia drive-in has been operating with only 150 cars, occupying about one-third of the lot. It offers three shows per day, with a movie for children at 6 p.m. followed by two features for adults. The drive-in is 47 years old and one of the only such open-air facilities in operation in Brazil. It was closed at the start of the pandemic, but reopened to the public at the start of April.
Jair de Souza speaks to drivers arriving at a drive-in movie theater, amid the new coronavirus pandemic in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, May 13, 2020. “Every car must respect the distance, leaving a free parking space between you,” he tells each of them. (AP PhotoEraldo Peres)
Minutes before the show began, people retrieved from their trunks the popcorn and snacks brought with them from home. Children sitting in the cars’ back seats were wild with excitement.
One mother brought her two children along after they had remained in quarantine since March.
In a nearby parking spot was Eduardo Cavalcanti, who came with his three kids. He readied a lawn chair for himself outside his car, leaving his daughters to the front seats, and plopped his young son on the vehicle’s roof. From there, the boy had a better view of the animated film, Smallfoot, about a human who goes to live in a village of yetis.
Ana Paula Santos and her children watch a movie from inside their car at a drive-in movie theater where drivers must leave one space empty between them in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, May 13, 2020. The drive-in offers three shows per day, with a children's movie followed by two features for adults. (AP PhotoEraldo Peres)
“My kids couldn’t stand being stuck inside home anymore,” Cavalcanti said. “My wife saw the ad for the drive-in and suggested we come. It was the only option to leave home and still stay safe.”
A sign that flashes different warnings about coronavirus, in Portuguese, stands tall at a drive-in movie theater where drivers must leave one space empty between them in Brasilia, Brazil, Saturday, May 23, 2020. The drive-in was closed at the start of the pandemic but reopened to the public at the start of April. (AP PhotoEraldo Peres)
A family wearing face masks watches a movie at a drive-in where drivers must leave one space empty between them amid the spread of the new coronavirus in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, May 13, 2020. The drive-in was closed at the start of the pandemic but reopened to the public at the start of April. (AP PhotoEraldo Peres)
Eduardo Cavalcanti and his children watch a film at a drive-in movie theater where drivers must leave one space empty between them amid the new coronavirus pandemic in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, May 13, 2020. “My kids couldn’t stand being stuck inside home anymore,” Cavalcanti said. “My wife saw the ad for the drive-in and suggested we come. It was the only option to leave home and still stay safe.” (AP PhotoEraldo Peres)
A worker carries a red lantern to signal drivers at the drive-thru movie theater amid the new coronavirus pandemic in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, May 13, 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Brasilia drive-in has been operating with only 150 cars, occupying about one-third of the lot. (AP PhotoEraldo Peres)
Children watch a film from inside their car at a drive-in movie theater where drivers must leave one space empty between them amid the new coronavirus pandemic in Brasilia, Brazil, Saturday, May 23, 2020. Movie-goers bring popcorn and snacks from home. (AP PhotoEraldo Peres)
Drivers arrive at the drive-in movie theater where drivers must leave one space empty between them amid the new coronavirus pandemic in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, May 13, 2020. Cars are filled with passengers set to indulge in one of the few diversions allowed in the age of social distancing. (AP PhotoEraldo Peres)
A screen plays a movie at a drive-in movie theater where drivers must leave one space empty between them amid the new coronavirus pandemic in Brasilia, Brazil, May 13, 200. The drive-in was closed at the start of the pandemic but reopened to the public at the start of April. (AP PhotoEraldo Peres)