Jakarta

In Indonesia, lovers can enjoy a film in very intimate way.

Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort aim their wands at one another and the final battle begins. In Jakarta’s most luxurious cinema a young girl pulls the purple blanket over her head and snuggles up to her boyfriend. This is only possible in Jakarta since the cinema chain Blitz Megaplex opened its Velvet Lounge. This cinema has replaced the seats with 20 beds – arranged in four rows of five. They are all upholstered with black imitation leather, have six pillows and two purple wool blankets.

The people in Jakarta are crazy about movies. As soon as the latest Twilight or Spiderman come to the cinemas, they are already queuing up in the morning to get tickets for the evening shows. Although pirate copies are being sold on the streets at the same time, this doesn’t keep them from spending money on a cinema ticket. To make the cinema experience more attractive, Blitz came up with idea of the Velvet Lounge and ever since, almost every bed in the “bed theatre” is sold out. Usually amusing love films are shown. A ticket for a double bed costs 22 euros, about five times the normal price for two viewers.

The owners are aware that they are entering a second market niche with this scheme. In Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim country, there is no other public place offering so much privacy. Yet, even this is only virtual, for although there are small dividers set up between the beds, before the film starts, the audience is informed that ceiling cameras are pointed at them during the show. Indeed, there have been occurrences of the friendly ushers asking couples to leave the auditorium. Nonetheless, in the Velvet Lounge you needn’t pretend to yawn and stretch before putting an arm around your date.