After having seen the light at the end of the tunnel during late summer, which witnessed the successful hosting of the Venice Film Festival under strict measures but in its usual physical form (see the news), the European film industry is now facing a new period of uncertainty caused by the so-called second wave of COVID-19, which is starting to wreak havoc across all countries.
On the cusp of a new, multinational lockdown, which may or may not be as restrictive as the first one, but which is certainly already affecting the industry, Europe looks to the future with despair, forced to adapt to the present situation. Due to the new measures being adopted by European governments, which have again included the closure of cinemas and limitations on social events, festivals, industry gatherings and theatres have been forced to abide by them, and find new ways to unspool and welcome their participants and public, mostly by moving their programmes online in collaboration with streaming services.
Here is the list of events affected as of 6 November:
Belgium
Cinemas closed (in Brussels)
20th Cinemamed (original dates 26 November-5 December, moved online)
Croatia
18th Zagreb Film Festival (original dates 8-15 November, moved online) (read interview)
Czech Republic
Cinemas closed until 20 November
Shootings allowed
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 54 ½ (original dates 18-21 November, cancelled) (read news)
24th Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival (original dates 27 October-8 November, moved online)
(read news)
France
Cinemas closed until 1 December
Shootings allowed
35th Festival Entrevues Belfort (original dates 15-22 November, cancelled, awards to be given out either way by the jury)
8th Festival du Film de Muret (original dates 8-15 November, postponed to 31 January-7 February 2021)
3rd Festival International du Film Politique (FIFP) de Carcassonne, (original dates 8-12 December, postponed to 15-19 January 2021)
24th Œillades, Festival du Film Francophone d’Albi (original dates 24-29 November, cancelled)
29th Festival du Film de Sarlat (original dates 14-11 November, cancelled)
21st Arras Film Festival (original dates 7-15 November, cancelled)
Arras Days moved online
Les Rencontres Cinématographiques de L’ARP (original dates 4-6 November, moved online)
Greece
Cinemas closed until 30 November
61st Thessaloniki International Film Festival (original dates 5-15 November, moved online)
Germany
Cinemas closed until 31 November
30th FilmFestival Cottbus (original dates 3-8 November, postponed to 8-13 December)
Connecting Cottbus (original dates 4-6 November, moved online)
Hungary
Cinemas at 1/3 capacity, mandatory masks
Shootings allowed
Ireland
Cinemas closed until 1 December
Shootings allowed
Italy
Cinemas closed until 24 November
Shootings allowed
5th Torino Short Film Market (original dates 17-24 November, moved online)
61st Festival dei Popoli (Florence, original dates 15-22 November, moved online)
40th Fantafestival – Mostra internazionale del film di fantascienza e del fantastico di Roma (original dates 11-15 November, moved online)
26th MedFilm Festival di Roma (original dates 4-13 November, moved online 9-15 November)
21st Festival del cinema europeo di Lecce (original dates 31 October-7 November, moved online)
18th Ravenna Nightmare Film Fest (original dates 31 October-8 November, moved online)
20th Trieste Science+Fiction Festival (original dates 29 October-3 November, moved online)
Lithuania
Cinemas closed from 7 November to 28 November
Netherlands
Cinemas closed until 18 November
14½ Leiden International Film Festival (original dates 29 October-8 November, moved online)
41st Northern Film Festival (original dates 11-15 November, cancelled)
Poland
Cinemas closed from 7 November on
45th Polish Film Festival in Gdynia (original dates 8-12 December) (moved online)
28th Camerimage International Film Festival (original dates 14-21 November) (moved online)
20th New Horizons International Film Festival (original dates 23 July-3 August, postponed to 10-15 November) + 11th American Film Festival (original dates 10-15 November) (both moved online)
New Horizons International Film Festival Polish Days Industry section (moved online)
Portugal
Cinemas open, but closed at 22.30 every day
Romania
Cinemas closed in cities with a COVID-19 transmission rate exceeding 3 cases per 1000 inhabitants
Slovenia
Cinemas closed
Spain
Cinemas closed in Catalonia
16th DocumentaMadrid (original dates 4-10 May, postponed to 6-10 December, set to take place on site and online)
58th Festival Internacional de Cine de Gijón FICX (original dates 20-29 November, moved online)
27th L’Alternativa Festival de Cinema Independent de Barcelona (original dates 16-29 November, moved online)
62nd Zinebi Bilbao (original dates 13-20 November, partly moved online)
5th Fantastic Film Festival – FANT Bilbao (original dates 6-12 November, partly moved online)
1st Visual Art – Festival Internacional de Cinema de Lleida (original dates 29 October-8 November, postponed)
Switzerland
Cinemas closed in the French-speaking region (Jura until 15 November, Geneva until 29 November, Vaud until 20 November, Valais and Fribourg until 30 November, Neuchâtel until 22 November)
26th Geneva International Film Festival (original dates 6-15 November, cancelled)
Geneva Digital Market (original dates 9-13 November, moved online)
United Kingdom
Cinemas closed from 5 November to 2 December in England, closed subject to local restrictions in Scotland, closed in Wales and Northern Ireland
Shootings allowed
Recent Comments