Coronavirus Outbreak: London Film Festival to go virtual; over 50 films will have online premieres

The BFI London Film Festival has decided to go online for its 2020 edition of the festival in the light of the novel coronavirus crisis. (Click  here  to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak) According to The Hollywood Reporter, the festival was scheduled to take place from 7 October to 18 October by when the coronavirus restrictions are expected to be eased out but the event will still be following a path taken by other film festivals due to the spread of COVID-19. The 2020 edition of the festival will see over 50 films getting virtual premieres, with every film having a particular time of screening and additional elements like question and answer rounds etc. The virtual version of the show will also bring a wide range of free-to-access digital talks and conversations. “Like many other live events around the world, we have had to make changes to our plans in response to a global pandemic, factoring in safety concerns and restrictions - some known, some still unclear,” The Hollywood Reporter quoted the festival director Tricia Tuttle. “But as we have undergone this planning we have also witnessed historical international protests, an urgent reminder of just how much we need to do to combat racism and inequality,” added Tuttle. Check out the post

BFI London Film Festival to combine virtual and physical screenings for 2020 edition https://t.co/28tFJ39G2x pic.twitter.com/EI5kMmoNAa

— Andy Vermaut (@AndyVermaut) July 2, 2020

(With inputs from Asian News International)