Yesterday, we heard from Venice Film Festival President, Roberto Cicutto, confirming that this year’s event will continue with a physical festival, even if Italy is under strict social distancing regulations and lockdown. However, we weren’t given much of a look at how that might happen. Now, Venice director Alberto Barbera is here to explain a bit more what the very different Venice Film Festival will look like this year.
Speaking to ANSA (via Variety), Barbera talked about all the issues that will affect the event in 2020, including safety concerns, the lack of international talent, and the possible collaboration with Cannes.
The 2020 Venice Film Festival will “necessarily be experimental,” Barbera said, adding that there will be “use of surgical masks and social distancing” as well as “probably less accredited attendees.”
He continued, “It’s clear that many films — especially international ones — will not come accompanied by talent who won’t be willing, or able, to come.”
In those cases, Barbera said that they will utilize online press conferences and screenings will accompany those films.
Regarding the much-discussed partnership with the Cannes Film Festival, which has been promoted by the French event’s boss Thierry Fremaux but almost shot down yesterday by another Venice official, Barbera is still a bit unsure what the future holds. However, he does say that “a real collaboration with the Cannes Film Festival” is a possibility.
Barbera added that the goal of a Cannes/Venice collaboration would be “a form of solidarity towards the film community that is undergoing an unprecedented tough time,” and he said that “it would transcend” any perceived competition between the two European film events.
As for what the lineup for the 2020 Venice Film Festival might look like, the event organizer said that Italian films will have an “advantage” because of the travel bans that affect the rest of the world. However, he does feel “not pessimistic” that “European talent” would be able to attend, thus giving other European films a bit of an advantage over other global offerings.
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Overall, it does sound as if Venice is preparing for a much smaller, sanitized (literally) version of the physical event. Of course, much of Barbera’s optimism is that the Italian government will allow for the Venice Film Festival to operate under special circumstances, even if the rest of the country is still on some sort of lockdown and the country’s cinemas remain closed. So, it’s not a guarantee that Venice 2020 will kick off on September 2, but the organizers sure do think it will.
