The COVID-19 pandemic has left the 2020 film festival schedule in shambles. Basically every festival from March until now has been either canceled or drastically altered with digital screenings. And though the festivals that begin this fall are in a better position than earlier events, with limited physical screenings and possible red carpets, it appears the organizations behind them are committed to working together instead of being competitors, for the sake of the industry.
In an open letter signed by leaders at the Toronto International Film Festival, New York Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, and Telluride Film Festival, the leaders at each event have decided that the best way to help the industry recover from the pandemic is to collaborate and drop the competitive nature of the events.
“The art form we love is in crisis,” the letter reads. “Our own organizations have seen unprecedented challenges to our work and our financial security. The pandemic caught each of us as we were preparing for the biggest event of our year in the fall of 2020. We knew we had to adapt. We decided to collaborate as we never have before.”
It’s unclear what the collaborative nature of the events will look like. No firm details are given. However, it’s believed that this could mean a lot for what is considered a “world premiere” and not at these events. Whereas each event normally would celebrate film in their own ways, the real competition is which event gets to premiere which film, with TIFF, Venice, and the like all trying to have as many awards-contending features as possible.
But with travel restrictions and the crippled festivals that came before them, it’s obvious that the idea of a “world premiere” might not mean the same thing in 2020 as it did in previous years. So, perhaps we could be looking at a situation where premieres are handled by the festival that can best support it and not necessarily each event trying to outmaneuver each other.
The letter adds, “This year, we’ve moved away from competing with our colleagues at autumn festivals and commit instead to collaboration. We are sharing ideas and information. We are offering our festivals as a united platform for the best cinema we can find. We’re here to serve the filmmakers, audiences, journalists and industry members who keep the film ecosystem thriving. We need to do that together.”
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With Venice expected to announce its lineup at the end of the month, we’ll probably get an idea of what this collaboration will look like then. Either way, it appears that the pandemic is bringing together the festival circuit in a way that has never happened before.
The fall festival schedule kicks off with Venice on September 2.
Here’s the full letter:
This year, we saw the COVID-19 pandemic devastate communities all over the world, and bring life as we knew it to a halt. As supporters of global cinema, we watched as the work of film artists stopped in its tracks, and the culture of film itself was challenged. Films come alive with audiences, who could no longer gather in the ways we had for over a century.
The art form we love is in crisis. Our own organizations have seen unprecedented challenges to our work and our financial security. The pandemic caught each of us as we were preparing for the biggest event of our year in the fall of 2020. We knew we had to adapt. We decided to collaborate as we never have before.
Venice is the origin story for every film festival in the world. Telluride is one of the world’s most influential festivals. Toronto is home to the world’s largest public film festival. And the New York Film Festival curates for one of the world’s most storied, sophisticated film cities. Our four festivals share a love of cinema and a devotion to filmmakers. We also share a short span of six weeks each autumn.
This year, we’ve moved away from competing with our colleagues at autumn festivals and commit instead to collaboration. We are sharing ideas and information. We are offering our festivals as a united platform for the best cinema we can find. We’re here to serve the filmmakers, audiences, journalists and industry members who keep the film ecosystem thriving. We need to do that together.
We believe cinema has a unique power to illuminate both the world around us, and our innermost perceptions. In a crisis, films can transport us. They can enchant, inform, provoke and heal. As we work through challenging circumstances this summer to prepare our festivals, we will work together, in support of film.
Cameron Bailey, Toronto International Film Festival
Alberto Barbera, Venice Film Festival
Eugene Hernandez, New York Film Festival
Julie Huntsinger, Telluride Film Festival
Tom Luddy, Telluride Film Festival
Joana Vicente, Toronto International Film Festival