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| American actress Laura Dern in conversation with Vanity Fair Editor-in-Chief Radhika Jones and Robert Greenblatt, Chairman of WarnerMedia, at their session More is More: The Future of Prestige Content in the Streaming Age at last year’s Cannes Lions event Photo: Cannes Lions |
The Cannes Lions festival of creativity has announced it will postpone its 2020 edition from June until October due to the coronavirus. The organisers of the Cannes Film Festival in May, however, still have to declare their intentions despite widespread cancellations on the Film Festival circuit.
The Cannes Lions festival will now take place from 26 to 30 October. "As always, the health, safety and wellbeing of our community is our priority. The decision was made following productive talks with our valued partners and customers and following consultation with public health officials, the City of Cannes and the French authorities,” said the organisers in a statement.
The 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival hasn't announced any changes to its plans, most recently suggesting that the media launch date of 16 April would be the moment it would give a decision, already considerably late for participants.
The Cannes Lions event has used to be focused on advertising but now aims to bring together creatives from various disciplines.
In another new move international TV market MIPTV (originally due to run in Cannes on 30 March to 3 April but cancelled earlier) has announced it will provide a streamlined online version of the event.
Meanwhile as film companies, journalists, professionals and regular attendees at the Cannes Film Festival get ever more anxious about a confirmation that the Festival will cancel or not, the head of the Marché du Film Jerôme Paillard has suggested that an online market might be created to serve all accredited participants.
Paillard told Screen Daily: "Our aim is to help the industry to keep working at this difficult time when cinemas are closed and shoots have been shut down. The market needs an event in spring and we’re trying to come up with solutions, even if they’re not perfect.”
Those buyers or sellers not able to attend (assuming the Festival goes ahead) would be able to watch films, pitches, or works in progress online. The idea remains at the formative stage for the moment as Cannes selectors continue to work home on the various strands.
The news comes as Edinburgh International Film Festival announced the 74th edition would be postponed and Glasgow Short Film Festival revealed new dates for online edition.
