The 2020 New York Film Festival is significant for a number of reasons this year. Not only is the festival coming off a great 2019, which featured the world premiere of the Oscar-nominated “The Irishman,” but the 2020 event is the first for new director Eugene Hernandez. However, considering the event is scheduled to begin in late September, some are wondering if the COVID-19 pandemic might affect the festival’s plans.
Well, according to folks involved with the festival, there is supreme confidence that the event will kick off on September 25, with announcements forthcoming.
“The festival will be going ahead and everyone can expect some exciting announcements about our plans in the next few weeks,” festival organizers said in a statement (via Deadline).
Of course, we’d be remiss without mentioning the difference between the rest of the fall festivals and the New York Film Festival, in terms of COVID-19. The worldwide “epicenter” for the deadly illness has become New York City, with thousands of deaths already. Unlike other states in the US, it’s unclear when social distancing restrictions will life in NYC, which makes the NYFF a possible victim to postponement or cancellation, even if the rest of the world is in recovery at that time. Even festivals like Venice and TIFF could have easier paths to reopening than NYFF, despite their dates being weeks before the NYC event.
While the NYFF doesn’t hold the same stature in the fall film festival landscape as Venice or TIFF, the New York event is one of the most beloved among critics, as it’s always chock full of great selections. Last year, in addition to “The Irishman,” films such as “Parasite,” “Marriage Story,” “Motherless Brooklyn,” “First Cow,” and “Pain And Glory” all screened at the event.
And with SXSW and Tribeca both getting canceled, along with the expected cancellation of this year’s Cannes Film Festival, amongst other events, the fall festivals are poised to become even larger events for filmmakers hoping to have an impact in 2020. And with productions halted and films being delayed, there will be plenty of offerings that could be serious awards contenders looking for a big platform to debut before awards season. So, we shall see what happens.
Currently, NYFF 2020 is expected to begin on September 25 and run until October 11.
