The European film industry strives to find its way through the new waves of the coronavirus
by Cineuropa
- We present an overview of the film events affected by the new measures announced by national governments to contain the fresh surge in the COVID-19 pandemic
After having seen the light at the end of the tunnel during late summer, which witnessed the successful hosting of the Venice Film Festival under strict measures but in its usual physical form (see the news), the European film industry is now facing a new period of uncertainty caused by the so-called second wave of COVID-19, which is starting to wreak havoc across all countries.
On the cusp of a new, multinational lockdown, which may or may not be as restrictive as the first one, but which is certainly already affecting the industry, Europe looks to the future with despair, forced to adapt to the present situation. Due to the new measures being adopted by European governments, which have again included the closure of cinemas and limitations on social events, festivals, industry gatherings and theatres have been forced to abide by them, and find new ways to unspool and welcome their participants and public, mostly by moving their programmes online in collaboration with streaming services.
Here is the list of events affected as of 14 January:
Albania
4th Balkan Film Market (original dates 12-15 November, partly moved online)
Belgium
Cinemas closed until 1 March
20th Cinemamed (original dates 26 November-5 December, moved online)
11th Tournai Ramdam Festival (original dates 16-26 January 2021, cancelled)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Cinemas open respecting measures
Croatia
Cinemas open respecting measures
18th Zagreb Film Festival (original dates 8-15 November, moved online) (read interview)
Czech Republic
Cinemas closed until 22 January
Shootings allowed
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 54 ½ (original dates 18-21 November, cancelled) (read news)
24th Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival (original dates 27 October-8 November, moved online)
(read news)
Denmark
Cinemas closed
Estonia
Cinemas closed until 1 February
France
Cinemas closed until 31 January
Shootings allowed
12th Séries Mania Lille Hauts de France (original dates 19-27 March 2021, postponed to 28 May-5 June)
13th Les Arcs Film Festival (original dates 12-19 December, moved online)
Industry Village postponed to 17-18 January 2021 to a physical event in Paris and to 20-21 Janvier 2021 online
35th Festival Entrevues Belfort (original dates 15-22 November, cancelled, awards to be given out either way by the jury)
8th Festival du Film de Muret (original dates 8-15 November, postponed to 31 January-7 February 2021)
3rd Festival International du Film Politique (FIFP) de Carcassonne, (original dates 8-12 December, postponed to 15-19 January 2021)
24th Œillades, Festival du Film Francophone d'Albi (original dates 24-29 November, cancelled)
29th Festival du Film de Sarlat (original dates 14-11 November, cancelled)
21st Arras Film Festival (original dates 7-15 November, cancelled) (read news)
Arras Days moved online
Les Rencontres Cinématographiques de L’ARP (original dates 4-6 November, moved online)
23rd Rendez-Vous with French Cinema in Paris, organised by UniFrance (moved online, from 13-15 January 2021)
24th Festival international du film de comédie de l'Alpe d'Huez (19-24 January 2021, in-person)
Germany
Cinemas closed until 31 January
69th International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg (original dates 12-22 November, moved online) (read interview)
30th FilmFestival Cottbus (original dates 3-8 November, postponed to 8-13 December)
Connecting Cottbus (original dates 4-6 November, moved online)
Greece
Cinemas closed until further notice
23rd Olympia International Film Festival for Children & Young People (original dates 28 November-5 December, moved online)
3rd Athens International Children's Film Festival (original dates 14-22 November, moved online)
61st Thessaloniki International Film Festival (original dates 5-15 November, moved online)
Hungary
Cinemas closed until 1 February
Shootings allowed
Ireland
Cinemas closed until 31 January
Shootings allowed
Italy
Cinemas closed until 5 March
Shootings allowed
39th Bergamo Film Meeting (postponed to 24 April-2 May 2021)
19th RIFF - Rome Independent Film Festival (original dates 26 November-4 December, moved online)
38th Torino Film Festival (original dates 20-28 November, moved online)
30th Noir in Festival (original dates 30 November-4 December, postponed to 8-13 March 2021)
5th Torino Short Film Market (original dates 17-24 November, moved online)
61st Festival dei Popoli (Florence, original dates 15-22 November, moved online)
40th Fantafestival - Mostra internazionale del film di fantascienza e del fantastico di Roma (original dates 11-15 November, moved online)
26th MedFilm Festival di Roma (original dates 4-13 November, moved online 9-15 November)
21st Festival del cinema europeo di Lecce (original dates 31 October-7 November, moved online)
18th Ravenna Nightmare Film Fest (original dates 31 October-8 November, moved online)
20th Trieste Science+Fiction Festival (original dates 29 October-3 November, moved online)
11th Festival Nuovo Cinema Europa (Genoa, 12-18 December, moved online)
Kosovo
Cinemas open, screenings only until 18.00
Latvia
Cinemas closed from 9 November to 6 December
Lithuania
Cinemas closed from 7 November to 28 November
Montenegro
Cinemas open
Netherlands
Cinemas closed
33rd IDFA (original dates 18 November-6 December, partly moved online)
14½ Leiden International Film Festival (original dates 29 October-8 November, moved online)
41st Northern Film Festival (original dates 11-15 November, cancelled)
North Macedonia
Some cinemas partly open, with a few screenings a month
Poland
Cinemas closed until 31 January
45th Polish Film Festival in Gdynia (original dates 8-12 December) (moved online)
28th Camerimage International Film Festival (original dates 14-21 November) (moved online)
20th New Horizons International Film Festival (original dates 23 July-3 August, postponed to 10-15 November) + 11th American Film Festival (original dates 10-15 November) (both moved online)
New Horizons International Film Festival Polish Days Industry section (moved online)
Portugal
Cinemas closed until 30 January
7th Porto/Post/Doc (original dates 20-29 November, partly moved online, screening restrictions on weekends)
14th LEFFEST (original dates November 13-25, screening restrictions on weekend)
Romania
Cinemas closed in cities with a COVID-19 transmission rate exceeding 3 cases per 1000 inhabitants
Serbia
Cinemas open respecting measures
Slovakia
Cinemas closed until 24 January
Slovenia
Cinemas closed (no reopening date set)
Spain
Cinemas open respecting measures
16th DocumentaMadrid (original dates 4-10 May, postponed to 6-10 December, set to take place on site and online)
58th Festival Internacional de Cine de Gijón FICX (original dates 20-29 November, moved online)
27th L’Alternativa Festival de Cinema Independent de Barcelona (original dates 16-29 November, moved online)
62nd Zinebi Bilbao (original dates 13-20 November, partly moved online)
5th Fantastic Film Festival - FANT Bilbao (original dates 6-12 November, partly moved online)
1st Visual Art - Festival Internacional de Cinema de Lleida (original dates 29 October-8 November, postponed)
Sweden
Cinemas open with a maximum audience of eight persons
44th Göteborg Film Festival (original dates January 29 - February 8, moved online)
Switzerland
Cinemas closed until 28 February
26th Geneva International Film Festival (original dates 6-15 November, cancelled)
Geneva Digital Market (original dates 9-13 November, moved online)
United Kingdom
Cinemas closed until 15 February
Shootings allowed
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