The 2020 Cannes Film Festival is the latest to be canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Festival organizers revealed the news in a statement today, stating the festival will not be held from May 12 to 23. Organizers are instead considering several options on how to go forward with the Cannes Film Festival, one option being to postpone the festival to run from the end of June to early July this year.
“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,” the statement read.
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Due to the health crisis and the development of the French and international situation, the Festival de Cannes will no longer be able to take place on the dates planned, from May 12 to 23. More info #Cannes2020 👉 https://t.co/peLmfw0gQW pic.twitter.com/SVWPasvU23
— Festival de Cannes (@Festival_Cannes) March 19, 2020
The statement also asks individuals to “respect the general lockdown” and “show solidarity in these difficult times for the entire world.” On March 16, French President Emmanuel Macron ordered a nationwide shutdown to contain COVID-19, barring residents from leaving their homes for the next 15 days.
The Cannes Film Festival is just one of many major events being canceled in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Just this week, the Met Gala and the CFDA Awards in New York City were canceled because of the virus. In the last few weeks other major events, such as SXSW and Coachella, were also canceled or postponed due to the pandemic.
France has almost 11,000 confirmed cases and has experienced over 370 deaths due to COVID-19 as of March 19.
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