Kissing is back in French film shoots

French Culture minister Franck Riester said "kissing has started again on sets" where the actors have been tested for the coronavirus. PHOTO: AFP

PARIS (AFP) - Actors have started kissing again on French film shoots, the country's culture minister said last Friday.

Mr Franck Riester said "kissing has started again on sets" where the actors have been tested for the coronavirus.

And he insisted that l'amour, French for love, is not completely dead despite the coronavirus pandemic.

The minister told French radio that while shooting in Europe's biggest film industry was allowed to restart earlier this month, "they waited a bit before doing that kiss that is so important in cinema".

Mr Reister did not say which film or which actors were the first to get back to on-screen smooching.

"No, the kiss is not over with," he declared when asked if social distancing was threatening to kill off love scenes altogether.

French cinemas are to reopen today after a three-month closure due to the pandemic, but with drastic distancing measures, it means they can never be more than half- full.

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