It’s a first since student riots sent everyone home in 1968. Cannes has cancelled its famous film festival. They hope to find a date this summer. But that’s unlikely if tourist season goes on. They could move to the fall perhaps. Quel domage!
Unfortunately a festival in June or July, if the tourist season is allowed, would be impossible. Cannes, Antibes, Juan les Pins and the surrounding area is a massively popular beach resort for Europeans– who will be desperate for vacations this summer. Rates would be prohibitively high for festival participants.
Will Cannes just miss this year? Probably. But imagine how great it will be in 2021!
Here’s the statement from the festival:
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.
