The Berlin International Film Festival will hold its industry activities online in March and the public event in June
This new festival format has been developed due to the current COVID-19 situation, the press release clarifies.
The industry related activities will include platforms such as European Film Market, Berlinale Co-Production Market, Berlinale Talents, and the World Cinema Fund. They will take place online between 1 and 5 March.
In June, there will be a summer event with numerous film screenings for public audiences — in cinemas as well as out in open air. The exact dates and programme are yet to be revealed.
“There is a great desire to meet face-to-face. The current situation does not allow a physical festival in February. At the same time, it is important to offer the film industry a market within the first quarter of the year,” says Berlinale Executive Director Mariette Rissenbeek.
“With the change in the festival format in 2021, we will have the chance to protect the health of all guests and to support the restart of the cinema industry. With the summer event, we want to celebrate a festival for the cinema and offer the Berlinale audience the long-awaited community experience of cinema and culture.”
The current process of selecting films for the competition and the sections will be continued. The programme will be published in February and presented to the film industry at the virtual European Film Market in March.
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