European Film Awards Tweaks 2020 Eligibility Rules Due To Coronavirus Pandemic

European Film Awards
Mandatory Credit: Photo by CLEMENS BILAN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock (10565976w) Awards are displayed during the European Shooting Stars 2020 presentation and the premiere of 'Schwesterlein' (My Little Sister) during the 70th annual Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale), in Berlin, Germany, 24 February 2020. The movie is presented in the Official Competition at the Berlinale that runs from 20 February to 01 March 2020. Schwesterlein - Premiere - 70th Berlin Film Festival, Germany - 24 Feb 2020 CLEMENS BILAN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

The European Film Awards has tweaked its eligibility criteria for 2020 to allow films that premiere online to be considered, and has also extended the qualifying window from May to November.

Previously, films needed to have premiered theatrically between June 1, 2019, and May 31, 2020, to qualify for the awards show, which this year will take place in Reykjavik on December 12.

However, the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic has left many films without a first official screening, be it at a festival or in a regular cinema, leading to the rule change, which the org described as “exceptional” for 2020.

A film will be eligible now if it premieres theatrically or online before the end of November, and the rights-holders also agree to provide the film on the EFA VOD Platform for its 3,800 voting members.

“We cannot ignore the dramatic changes the pandemic has brought to the film industry. Many premieres had to be re-scheduled, postponed or moved online. We are therefore exceptionally changing the eligibility rules for the EFAs 2020 to allow those films that could not premiere as planned to still be recognized,” said EFA Chairman Mike Downey.

Last year’s European Film Awards saw The Favourite scoop the film and director prizes.

This article was printed from https://deadline.com/2020/05/european-film-awards-eligibility-rules-2020-coronavirus-1202932144/

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