Last weekend the Venice Film Festival‘s artistic director Alberto Barbera said the festival will happen in the usual physical, real-world way, and that he’s “currently not weighing digital options” a la the Toronto Film Festival.
The 77th Venice International Film Festival is slated to unfold between Wednesday, 9.2.00 and Saturday, 9.12.20.
The pesky coronavirus could interfere with Barbera’s plans, of course. He’s saying right now what he feels he needs to say. He has to project a resolute front.
“The Venice Film Festival cannot be replaced by an online event,” a Venice spokesman told Variety‘s Nick Vivarelli earlier today. He added that “there is obviously the possibility that we use technology for some initiatives,” but “it’s too early for this to be decided.”
