Luanda — The director of the Film Distribution Company (Edecine), Lourenço Roque, admitted Wednesday in Luanda that the repair of the country's cinemas, particularly those of the capital, will require huge investments both from State and private operators.

Speaking to Angop for an assessment of the situation of the cinemas in the country, Lourenço Roque said that a preliminary study conducted by his company indicates a very gloomy picture in view of their condition.

"A lot is to be done for us to have the houses back in full functioning, mainly those that are State property. The Ministry of Culture is concerned about the current situation and it is in this sense that all is being done for the rehabilitation of the houses it owns," he said.

According to him, nothing has so far been done for lack of funds as the undertaking will require the repair of the infrastructures and purchase of new equipment and modern sound systems.

Lourenço Roque said the main Edecine's purpose at the moment is to make an inventory of the state of the cinemas in the country for future intervention, in which the private sector might be crucial.

He said another aspect that requires intervention is the distribution system, adding that the repair of the infrastructures alone will not be enough, unless the distribution system is restored.

The official recalled that until the 1990's, the State was the importer and distributor and would do its best to keep things going. But with the end of the first republic, he added, the business was opened to private operators who are failing to deliver the goods.

The Luanda cinema network comprises 16 cinemas, nine of which owned by the State. They are São Paulo, Tivoli, Atlântico, Corimba, Alfas 1 and 2, Tropical, Nacional, Cazenga and África Cine.

São João, Ngola, Karl Marx, Miramar, 1 de Maio, Kilumba and Cine Place are privately owned.

Excepting Ngola and 1º de Maio, all others have none the less been used for music shows, church services and screening of DVD format movies.