As the world grapples with the spread of coronavirus, Cannes Film Festival organisers are trying to figure out how to continue with this year's edition of the international event. The president of the Cannes film festival Pierre Lescure has said that the 2020 edition will be cancelled if the coronavirus outbreak worsens but at present he is "reasonably optimistic" it will go ahead.
The French government has banned gatherings of more than 1,000 people in an effort to curb the spread of the virus. The festival, which is due to start on May 12, is expected to attract about 40,000 attendees, including delegates to the film market that operates alongside the screening schedule.
A spokesperson for the festival told Variety that preparations are being made to downsize the event and limit audiences in auditoriums and other festival venues to get around the ban. While this current ban is set to expire on April 15, Cannes is preparing for a scenario in which it is maintained.
France is the second-most impacted country in Europe behind Italy. As of March 11, there are 1,784 cases and 33 deaths in the country. Several high-profile events have been canceled already. Even if Cannes Film Festival is held, question remains as to how many high-profile guests would actually turn up for the event.
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