Cannes’ Critics Week Won’t Take Place in May Either

By Elsa Keslassy

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Following the news that the Cannes Film Festival will be postponed, Critics Week, the section dedicated to first and second films which runs parallel to the fest, said its 59th edition will not be taking place in May either.

The organizers of Critics’ Week said in statement on Friday that the section may be moved to a later date “to comply with the critical measures taken to ensure everyone’s safety.” While Cannes said on Friday that the festival could potentially take place in late June/early July, Critics’ Week said it could not “foresee whether we will be able to announce our selection nor how (the section) may be carried out.”

“These decisions will be taken in collaboration with institutions, the teams of the various sections of the Cannes Film Festival and representatives of the industry, alongside whom we intend to face this unprecedented crisis,” said Critics’ Week.

Spearheaded by Charles Tesson, Critics’ Week said it was giving “its support for the people affected by this worldwide health crisis (and) salute individual and collective efforts taken to overcome this epidemic and the commitment of those who are tirelessly striving to fight it.”

Critics’ Week said it was nevertheless pursuing the selection process, “in solidarity with filmmakers who directed the films and to fulfil our commitment to professionals who submitted them.”

This upcoming edition was supposed to take place in the revamped Miramar theater. Last year’s selection included Jérémy Clapin’s animated feature “I Lost My Body” which won the Nespresso Grand Prize and went on to earn an Oscar nomination.

Since its launch, Critics’ Week has played a key role in turning the spotlight on promising directors who went on to earn worldwide acclaim, notably Wong Kar-wai, Guillermo del Toro, Jacques Audiard, François Ozon, Gaspar Noé, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Andrea Arnold, Jeff Nichols and David Robert Mitchell.