A postponement of the festival has looked increasingly likely in connection with the spread of infection in France in recent weeks.
“As we announced last autumn, we reserve the right to change the inauguration date depending on the global situation.
That is why we have made the decision to arrange the festival from 6 to 17 July instead of 11 to 22 May, ”the organizers say in a press release.
Canceled 2020
The decision is a sign of how uncertain the situation is still for a film industry that has gone to its knees in the past year, with closed cinemas, postponed film premieres and interrupted film recordings as a result of the corona pandemic.
Last year, organizers were forced to completely cancel the Cannes Film Festival for the first time since World War II.
Industry analysts believe that the Cannes Film Festival's new dates may annoy the organizers behind the Venice Film Festival, as the two festivals now end up closer to each other in the calendar.
Thus, there is a risk of a tug-of-war over films and movie stars.