Coronavirus: 73rd Cannes International Film Festival Postponed; New Dates in June-July

The 73rd Cannes film festival that was scheduled for May 12 and 13 has been postponed amidst the rising cases of the coronavirus pandemic, its board said on Thursday, with its directors looking at postponing it until late June.

An tweet by the official social media handle of Festival de Cannes said, “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.”

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

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

But its board said in light of the pandemic they were now looking at rescheduling it to "the end of June-beginning of July".

The team of Festival De Cannes in a statement announced that the decision for new dates will be taken depending on the French and the International Health situation and after discussion with the French government and Cannes City Hall, film industry professionals and all the other partners of the events.

Pierre Lescure has earlier accepted that Cannes festival was not insured against the loss of revenue that would result from the cancellation as the mega film event is not covered by Cannes’ insurance policy.

French government banned gatherings of more than 1,000 people in an effort to curb the spread of the virus. The festival was expected to attract about 40,000 attendees, including delegates to the film market that operates alongside the screening schedule

Meanwhile, the coronavirus epidemic has killed 108 more people in France over the last 24 hours, bringing the total death toll from the outbreak in the country to 372, the top French health official said Thursday. "The number of infections is doubling every four days," Jerome Salomon told reporters, adding that the virus was spreading in France "rapidly and intensely".

Several other film festivals, including Tribeca, SXSW and Edinburgh have already been cancelled or put back.