Film Festival Chiefs Debate Move to Virtual and Shifting Dates at UniFrance Rendezvous

Soko stars in the upcoming fantastical feminist war film Mayday, which just premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Normally, this takes place in Park City, Utah, but the French singer/actress made numerous virtual appearances to promote the movie. Seven outfit changes for all of her interviews, in fact!

Six former winners of the Berlin International Film Festival's Golden Bear for best film will make up the jury for this year's event.

The Berlin International Film Festival has unveiled an unusual jury format for this year’s unusual edition, with six former Golden Bear winners (the festival’s top prize) set to convene during the March event to decide on its awards.

Leo Barraclough Senior International CorrespondentThe Berlin Film Festival has unveiled the International Jury for its 71st edition.The jury will comprise Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof, Israeli director Nadav Lapid, Romania director Adina Pintilie, Hungary director Ildikó Enyedi, Italian director Gianfranco Rosi and Bosnian director Jasmila Žbanić.As previously announced, the festival will take place in two stages this year, due to the pandemic.

Excuse me if I’m less than shocked by this news. The inevitable happened today, surprising not a soul, as the Cannes Film Festival delayed itself until the summer.

coronavirus recedes enough by summertime.  "As announced last autumn, the Festival de Cannes reserved the right to change its dates depending on how the global health situation developed," the organisers said in a statement.

announced Wednesday that the 2021 edition will move from its regular late-May spot to early July, when the seaside Côte d’Azur averages a balmy 86 degrees.The summery change-up comes days after the French government announced plans to vaccinate its entire population against the coronavirus by August. Cinemas there remain closed through at least the end of January.Last year’s festival was canceled outright due to the pandemic, though cases at the time had subsided in France.

Also Read: 'Nomadland' Film Review: Frances McDormand Hits the Road in Quiet, Lyrical Drama“Nomadland” is currently considered a frontrunner at the Oscars, having received the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and the audience award at the Toronto International Film Festival, as well as a slew of honors from film critics associations across the country.

European Film Promotion (EFP) and the Sundance Film Festival have announced their first-ever collaboration, which will see European films and talent in the spotlight at the 2021 festival, set for January 28 —February 3.

The New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC celebrated its 86th annual awards ceremony to celebrate this year’s winners and for the first time, it was virtual.

The quirky comedy French Exit, about several disconnected, somewhat lonely American souls who come together in unique ways in Paris, is funny, sad, bittersweet, surreal and altogether different. For star Michelle Pfeiffer, who has won some of the best reviews of her career after the New York Film Festival premiere, it was irresistible to play Frances, a widow and New York society gadfly dealing with her unusual relationship with her son (Lucas Hedges).

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentFollowing Cannes, the AFM, Toronto, Rome and the Hong Kong’s Filmart, UniFrance’s Rendez-Vous With French Cinema was for many film players at least the sixth virtual market since the start of the pandemic, but it was still a much-needed kick-off for French sales agents who launched a flurry of projects and market premieres during the event.The Rendez-Vous started Jan.

The Cannes Film Festival is continuing to weigh up a postponement of its traditional May kickoff until a date between late June and late July, organizers have told us.

Jamie Lang In today’s Global Bulletin, Sky picks up hundreds of hours of Studiocanal feature film content; Banijay aims to raise domestic abuse awareness; GoQuest Media picks pair of Serbian drama series; Oble finds a home on Viu Middle East for “The Outbreak”; Abacus Media Rights snags Kate Beckinsale-narrated dog show doc; Walter Presents acquires three French Canadian series; and Eccho Rights sends a slate of Korean dramas to upstart Turkish streamer Exxen.Sky and Studiocanal have closed a

EXCLUSIVE: Jane Austen’s novels have been adapted by Hollywood plenty. Amazon Studios and Di Novi Pictures have acquired for feature the Rachel Givney breakout novel, Jane in Love, that will make her a screen heroine. Denise Di Novi and Margaret French Isaac are producing. Elissa Down (Feel the Beat and The Black Balloon) is attached to direct.

Kitbag, which stars Joaquin Phoenix, is set to be released via Apple TV+.Kitbag, which Scott will direct and produce, will see Phoenix take on the role of French emperor and military leader Napoleon Bonaparte.

Berlin's European Film Market has revealed details of its plans for its first all-digital market, to be held from March 1-5, 2021. The 2021 EFM will be held alongside the online-only version of the 71st Berlin International Film Festival.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentThe Berlin Film Festival’s European Film Market (EFM) is gearing up for its upcoming online edition, for which it has announced 35 promising feature film projects from 25 countries selected for its co-production market.The EFM on Friday also unveiled details of the digital platform on which business will be done.The Berlinale Co-Production Market selection comprises works in various stages from global helmers, most of whom are known on the fest circuit

EXCLUSIVE: Dekanalog, a new theatrical and digital distribution company with an emphasis on presenting international titles for U.S. audiences, will launch in March with four films on its initial slate.