Venice film festival announces plan for a smaller edition this year

The 77th edition of the Venice film festival is scheduled to be held from 2–12 September this year. However, in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic raging across the world, with Italy being among the worst hit countries, and the need to maintain physical distancing, there will be a trimmed slate of about 50 films in all.

The competitive sections Venezia 77, Orizzonti, Out of Competition and Biennale College Cinema sections will all be held in their usual formats.

The festival also confirmed that screenings will take place in the theatres where they have been traditionally held on the Lido, with all safety measures in place.

The Venice Virtual Reality competition, however, will be shown entirely online instead of being screened on the island of Lazzaretto Vecchio.

The festival is also collaborating with Il Cinema Ritrovato for the Venice Classics section, which will take place from 25–31 August in Bologna. However, the Sconfini sidebar section has been dropped.

Alberto Barbera, artistic director of the festival, said, “I am extremely pleased that the Biennale Cinema can be held with a minimum reduction of films and sections. Without forgetting the countless victims of these past few months to whom due tribute shall be paid, the first international festival following the forced interruption dictated by the pandemic becomes the meaningful celebration of the re-opening we all looked forward to, and a message of concrete optimism for the entire world of cinema which has suffered greatly from this crisis.”

The full line-up of films will be announced on 28 July.