The world of cinema holds its breath, while a catastrophic scenario is looming on the horizon for the Cannes Film Festival. It is out of the question to envisage a cancellation for Thierry Frémaux and Pierre Lescure. The general delegate and the president of the event are working hard to maintain this 73rd edition at the beginning of the summer and continue to believe in the impossible, as the organizers explain in a long message published on the site. of the festival.
Read also: Cannes: the suspense continues
"When the decision to cancel its holding in May was considered, the professionals of the sector asked us not to give up organizing it , they specify, stressing the weight of the event in the economy of world cinema. So we decided, after a quick and wide national and international consultation, that we had to study all the tracks allowing a postponement rather than an outright cancellation. ”
At the moment, it is still too early to confirm whether or not to hold this 73rd edition, the jury of which was to be chaired by the American director Spike Lee. "It is the world health situation and the conditions for a normal return to social and economic life which will tell the truth of a term which is not known to date ", maintain the organizers, who recall not to be the only decision makers of this equation with several unknowns. " Ultimately, it is the public authorities (Ministry of Health, Ministry of the Interior, Prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes, City of Cannes) that will give the green light, as they have authorized us to announce a possible postponement."
An illusory hypothesis?
In the meantime, the preparation of this 73rd edition in which we await the films of Wes Anderson, Paul Verhoeven or Sofia Coppola continues by telework. And the selection committee continues to sort through the works sent to it. "The films now arrive by internet link and are viewed by the members of the selection committee as part of the usual dialogue maintained at this time of the year with the artists and rights holders" , it is specified.
What about the traditional press conference in mid-April during which the films selected for competition are announced? It should be held towards the end of May, one month before the opening of the festival, in the event of a maintenance. An illusory scenario? The organizers' response speaks volumes about their obstinacy in maintaining this 73rd edition at all costs: "We can of course think so, but we cannot assert it until the evidence forces us to give it up."