Cannes International Film Festival management team announced that the event would be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The optional new dates are around the end of June-beginning of July 2020.

Cannes Film Festival 2020

Cannes Film Festival, founded in 1946, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres, including documentaries from all around the world. This film festival is recognized as one of Oscar’s short films qualifying festival list and constitutes a significant event for filmmakers and storytellers. Cannes is recognized as one of the industry’s most famous and influential film festival. As an act of solidarity, the festival’s management team has decided to postpone the event to the end of June-beginning of July 2020 (not final date). Read Cannes Film Festival statement below:

“At this time of global health crisis, our thoughts go to the victims of the COVID-19, and we express our solidarity with all of those who are fighting the disease. Today, we have made the following decision: The Festival de Cannes cannot be held on the scheduled dates, from May 12 to 23. Several options are considered in order to preserve its running, the main one being a simple postponement, in Cannes, until the end of June-beginning of July 2020. As soon as the development of the French and international health situation will allow us to assess the real possibility, we will make our decision known, in accordance with our ongoing consultation with the French Government and Cannes’ City Hall as well as with the Festival’s Board Members, Film industry professionals and all the partners of the event. In the meantime, the Festival de Cannes lends its vocal support to all of those who firmly call on everyone to respect the general lockdown and ask to show solidarity in these difficult times for the entire world”.

At this time of global health crisis, our thoughts go to the victims of the COVID-19, and we express our solidarity with all of those who are fighting the disease. Today, we have made the following decision: The Festival de Cannes cannot be held on the scheduled dates, from May 12 to 23

Cannes International Film Fstival

Interpretation

While the festival has said films are being submitted at a normal pace, the post-production work in countries that are now in lockdown modes, such as France, Italy, and Spain, is being delayed, say several executives to Variety. It’s important to note that Europe has been defined as the center of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus. it’s hard to see that the festival will actually take place even in summer. Most probably, they will have to cancel it entirely.

Several options are considered in order to preserve its running, the main one being a simple postponement, in Cannes, until the end of June-beginning of July 2020

Cannes International Film Festival

Furthermore, the Cannes Film Festival is primarily funded by the French government, and it hosts not only the world’s preeminent film festival but also a massive co-production market where filmmakers seek backers for upcoming projects. To take Cannes out of the equation for even one year would have enormous reverberations throughout the world of international cinema, say film producers to Variety. However, it seems that there is no other choice. Nobody wants to see movies in crowded theaters wearing a mask for anti-COVID-19 contagion. Thus the action of postponement was beyond logical, and the act of cancellation might be inevitable.

Netflix to assist filmmakers: $100 million fund

For that matter, COVID-19 is negatively affecting our industry as Variety reports on more than 120,000 crew members have lost their jobs since the pandemic has been initiated. This number continues to elevate per day basis. Tons of TV shows, projects, and major events are being postponed, as well as the cancellation of one of industry mains events (NAB Show 2020), which constitute a pointer to the severity of the pandemic regarding filmmakers and storytellers. According to Netflix, almost all television and film production have now ceased globally – leaving hundreds of thousands of crew and cast without jobs. These include electricians, carpenters, drivers, hair and makeup artists, and more, many of whom are paid hourly wages and work on a project-to-project basis. Fortunately, there are some well-respected initiatives out there to assist and help members of the creative community who have been left unemployed and without a way to earn an income during the coronavirus crisis. For instance, Netflix has announced a $100 million fund as emergency support for workers in the creative community.

This community has supported Netflix through good times, and we want to help them through these hard times…So we’ve created a $100 million fund to help with hardship in the creative community. Most of the funds will go towards support for the hardest-hit workers on our own productions around the world

Netflix

As stated by Netflix: “This community has supported Netflix through the good times, and we want to help them through these hard times, especially while governments are still figuring out what economical support they will provide. So we’ve created a $100 million fund to help with hardship in the creative community. Most of the funds will go towards support for the hardest-hit workers on our own productions around the world. We’re in the process of working out exactly what this means, production by production. This is in addition to the two weeks’ pay we’ve already committed to the crew and cast on productions we were forced to suspend last week. Beyond helping workers on our own productions, we also want to support the broader film and television industry. So $15 million of the fund will go to third parties and non-profits providing emergency relief to out-of-work crew and cast in the countries where we have a large production base”. 

Final insights

Honestly, it’s hard for us, at Y.M.Cinema Magazine, to write those articles about the global crises that our beloved industry is facing. With unknown predictions, firing in the dark without knowing when it ends. However, it’s important to remain optimistic. There are a couple of tight months ahead of us, and we must support each other. Meanwhile, take the quality time of being with your family, initiate a passion project of your own, and get online filmmaking education. Let’s help each other getting through this.