The film festival was initially due to take place from May 12-23.
The Cannes film festival will not take place “in its original form” this year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, festival organisers said in a statement.
Earlier, the festival had been postponed to June/July this year owing to the lockdown and other preventive measures.
In an updated statement, however, festival organisers said that plan was “no longer an option” after France extended its lockdown measures this week.
In a statement, the organiser said: “We have started many discussions with professionals in France and abroad. They agree that the Festival de Cannes, an essential pillar for the film industry, must explore all contingencies allowing to support the year of Cinema by making Cannes 2020 real, in a way or another.
“When the health crisis, whose resolution remains the priority of all passes, we will have to reiterate and prove the importance of cinema and the role that its work, artists, professionals, film theatres and their audiences, play in our lives. This is how the Festival de Cannes, the Marché du Film and the parallel sections (Semaine de la Critique, Quinzaine des Réalisateurs, ACID), intend to contribute. We are committed to it and we would like to thank everyone who is by our side, public officials (Cannes’ City Halle, Ministry of Culture, the CNC), industry members as well as our partners. Each and everyone knows that many uncertainties are still reigning over the international health situation. We hope to be able to communicate promptly regarding the shapes that this Cannes 2020 will take.”
