New habits, practices, modes of appropriation and rituals of Mexican film consumption in times of pandemic: a case study in Monterrey, Nuevo León

Abstract

The general objective of this research was to identify and analyze the habits, practices, modes of appropriation and consumption rituals of Mexican films of the inhabitants of the Monterrey metropolitan area who remained in seclusion due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in a context of massive closure of movie theaters due to the restrictions caused by the pandemic and, paradoxically, in the face of a growing new golden age for Mexican cinema. This research was conducted with a qualitative approach; it is an exploratory study in which the in-depth interview technique was used. The sample consisted of 43 volunteer subjects, homebound adults, of both sexes and ranging in age from 41 to 86 years old. The results show that the change was more significant among older adults, who mentioned that going to movie theaters meant a lot to them, since, along with attending casinos, they were their only distractions before the pandemic, although they also mentioned that they are now getting used to watching movies on TV via streaming platforms, particularly Netflix, although they feel they have not mastered the technology for their enjoyment. Regarding the consumption of Mexican films, older adults do not like new films very much, they still prefer those of the Golden Age of the last century and, although they mentioned that in those they have seen recently they observe that in some way they represent the reality of our country, they said that because of their subject matter they consider that they are aimed at a younger audience.