China News Agency, Berlin, December 18 (Reporter Peng Dawei) The Berlin International Film Festival Organizing Committee announced on the 18th that, taking into account the current situation of the new crown epidemic, the 71st Berlin International Film Festival will not be scheduled for February 2021. It will be held in September, and will be changed to an online B2B session in March next year, and the screening and awards session open to the public will be changed to June next year.
The Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) is one of the three major European film festivals (Berlin, Cannes, Venice).
At present, Germany is implementing a "hard lockdown", and all public entertainment venues, including movie theaters, have been closed since the beginning of November, and will continue at least until January 10 next year.
The Berlin Film Festival Organizing Committee stated that due to the current situation in Germany, the 71st Berlin International Film Festival will be held in two parts.
Among them, the European Film Market, Berlin Co-production Market, Berlin Film Festival Talents, World Film Fund and other links will be held online in March next year under the framework of previous film festivals.
The main competition unit of the Berlin Film Festival that receives the most attention each year will still be held in February next year.
The organizing committee will invite members of the international jury to Berlin to watch the films shortlisted in the main competition unit and select the winners of the Golden Bear and Silver Bear Awards.
In June next year, the film festival will hold screenings and awards.
At that time, the public can watch the films shown at the Berlin Film Festival in the cinema and in the open air.
The festival organizing committee also plans to hold a grand opening ceremony next summer.
Mariette Risenbeck, executive director of the Berlin Film Festival, said on the same day that people are very eager for face-to-face communication, but the current epidemic does not allow offline film festivals to be held in February next year, and the first quarter of next year will provide a trading platform for the film industry. It is also very important.
She said that by adjusting to a two-part, online and offline format, the Berlin Film Festival next year will not only protect the health of all participants, but also support the recovery of the film industry.
"We hope that tomorrow's event can provide a celebration for the film industry, and also offer a long-awaited collective movie-watching cultural experience for the audience at the Berlin Film Festival." Mariette Risenbeck said.
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