Jerusalem Film Festival Postpones 2020 Edition Over Coronavirus Concerns

The Jerusalem Film Festival is postponing this year’s edition, which had been scheduled to run July 16-26, due to the pandemic.

Festival organizers have confirmed to us that they are now looking at potential alternatives, including Q4 dates.

Last year the international festival – Israel’s biggest – screened more than 200 movies including Parasite (pictured), Portrait Of A Lady On Fire and The Farewell. It also hosts multiple industry-focused strands. Ida and Cold War director Pawel Pawlikowski was among guests in 2019.

Question marks hang over a number of summer and fall festivals this year due to the pandemic. Cannes has already cancelled its summer dates, which in itself poses a significant challenge for other summer and fall festivals given their reliance on Cannes movies.

Israel has confirmed more than 14,000 cases of coronavirus and 180 deaths.