For European cinema, unity brings strength

If anyone had suggested a close collaboration between the two highly competitive Cannes and Venice films festivals this time last year, they probably would have been laughed out of the room. Few things have managed to halt Cannes during its long history: There was World War II, which put the kibosh on the festival from 1940 to 1945, then money problems in 1948 and 1950, but since then it was only the political turmoil of 1968 that led to its annulment. In 2020, though, it was the coronavirus that led to the cancellation of what is arguably the biggest event on the movie awards calendar, as Covid-19 is impacting the film world just as significantly as every other aspect of life, closing down productions, cinemas and festivals.

Nevertheless, the efforts of festival organizers to keep the lines of communication between productions and their audiences open remain constant....