Viewers enter the auditorium and wait for the screening of the movie A First Farewell at Tian Shan Cinema in Shanghai, on July 20, 2020. [Photo by Gao Erqiang/chinadaily.com.cn]

Cinemas in Shanghai reopened on Monday morning after the China Film Administration lifted restrictions that were introduced in late January to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Tian Shan Cinema at the Hongqiao Art Center, one of the most historic cinemas in the city with 40 years of history, started preparations to receive its first batch of customers as early as 8:30 am on Monday.

The first movie that the cinema screened was "A First Fairwell" at 9:50 am. The movie is a story about familial ties told from the perspective of three ethnic Uygur children.

Audience members watch the movie A First Farewell at Tian Shan Cinema in Shanghai, on July 20, 2020. [Photo by Gao Erqiang/chinadaily.com.cn]

A total of 27 tickets for the movie was sold out in less than an hour the previous day. According to current COVID-19 prevention protocols, only 30 percent of seats can be occupied.

A customer from the city's Sanlin neighborhood in Pudong district said he arrived at the cinema as early as 9 am as he wanted to be among the first batch of people to catch a movie at the theater.

"We staff are so thrilled to see all the tickets sold and we didn't expect that," said Shi Yijing, head of the cinema. "Audiences have said that they miss the cinema a lot. We, too, have missed them dearly after six months of closure."