Delays in Overseas Film Festivals Continue Amid COVID-19 Spread

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jong-gil] Due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), overseas film festivals have been postponing their schedules one after another. The 22nd Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy, announced on the 28th that it will postpone the event from April 24?May 2 to June 26?July 4. This is due to the spread of COVID-19 in Italy. Approximately 650 confirmed cases have been reported, with seventeen deaths.

This film festival, held in the small northeastern Italian city of Udine, is the largest event in Europe introducing Asian films. Last year, it screened twenty-three Korean films and awarded actress Jeon Do-yeon the 'Golden Mulberry Lifetime Achievement Award.'

The 44th Hong Kong International Film Festival, originally scheduled to be held from March 24 to April 6, has also been postponed to the summer. The festival organizers recently announced this on their official website. Film festivals in China are also expected to be affected by COVID-19. These include the 10th Beijing International Film Festival scheduled for April 15 and the Shanghai International Film Festival in June. Local media reported that "the decision to postpone has not yet been made."

The Chinese film industry has suffered significant damage due to the spread of COVID-19. About 70,000 theaters have been closed since the end of January, and production activities have been virtually halted since early February. Because of this, it is uncertain whether Disney's live-action film 'Mulan,' scheduled to be released in China on the 27th of next month, will be able to premiere as planned.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.