Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, Critics’ Week & ACID Programs Canceled In Situ For 2020

The Cannes Film Festival parallel sections Directors’ Fortnight and Critics’ Week have been cancelled in situ due to the coronavirus pandemic. Here’s the statement from the sections:

Following the French President’s April 13 announcement banning any festival from taking place until mid July, the parallel sections of the Cannes Film Festival acknowledge that the previously considered postponement to late June/early July is no longer an option. Consequently, the Directors’ Fortnight, La Semaine de la Critique and ACID regret to announce the cancellation of their 2020 editions in Cannes.

The health crisis we are all presently facing makes it impossible to anticipate the practical course of events. However, in order to support the whole film industry impacted by the current circumstances, each section, in consultation with the Cannes Film Festival, is looking at the best way to keep on supporting the films submitted to its 2020 edition.

The Directors’ Fortnight, La Semaine de la Critique and ACID teams

Cancellation of the prestigious parallel sections became more likely after Cannes’ announcement Tuesday that it wouldn’t be able to host an event on the Riviera before mid-July.

However, this may not be the very end of the road for the programs. We have heard rumors about discussions to transpose the sections to other festivals. While that seems unlikely, the best of the submitted movies shouldn’t struggle to find new fall festival homes, providing those festivals go ahead. And it sounds like the sections will help facilitate those moves.

As we revealed last week, Cannes was looking at kicking off June 23 after having to move out of its May dates. As has been made clear in recent weeks, the Cannes Marché’s digital market and the CAA-led equivalent would take place whenever Cannes was due to take place, so from late June.