Audience practices good infection control at a special screening of "Pandemic"

by Chris MaGee

Being a bit of a hypochondriac the sight of biohazard suits and cold masks takes me right back to the SARS outbreak that we in Toronto had to suffer through in 2003. Thankfully that isn't the kind of hardship going on in this photo. What looks like people taking shelter from a pandemic virus in a movie theatre is in fact 1,100 lucky people who came to witness a pandemic, or to be more precise the upcoming disaster movie "Pandemic" directed by Takahisa Zeze. The special preview screening took place at the Tokyo International Forum in Marunouchi on Friday and to get into the spirit of things audience members were issued cold masks by biohazard-suited ushers. Thankfully the stars of the film about a deadly virus that ravages the globe didn't have to take such rigorous precautions. Rei Dan who plays an official from the World Health Organization and Satoshi Tsumabuki who plays an emergency room doctor greeted fans warmly and in the case of Tsumabuki got a good laugh at the proceedings. "How careful is everybody!" he addressed the masked audience, "You’re all taking care of yourselves properly," and that also apparently extended to Tsumabuki's parents who were in attendance.

All I have to say is that it's all fun and games until someone sneezes... "Pandemic" hits Japanese theatres on January 17th. Thanks to Japan Today via Asian Fanatics for the story.