Sophia Michaels
The Tribeca Film Festival has postponed its 2020 event due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The annual fest was scheduled to run April 15th through the 26th in New York City and, for the first time, in New Jersey. However, a statement on the Tribeca site notes that organizers made their “difficult decision” on Thursday after Governor Andrew Cuomo banned events of 500 people or more across the state.
“We founded the Tribeca Film Festival as a way to heal our community after the devastation of the 9/11 attacks in 2001,” said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder and CEO of Tribeca Enterprises. “We were determined to overcome our fear and anxiety by joining together. It is in our DNA to march forward while caring about our community … We are committed to ensuring the health and safety of the public while also supporting our friends, filmmakers and storytellers who look to Tribeca as a platform to showcase their work to audiences. We will be back to you shortly with our plans.”
The Tribeca site will offer additional information, including details on ticket refunds. A rescheduled date has yet to be announced.
The festival’s features program will boast 115 films from 124 filmmakers representing 33 different countries. A number of music documentaries are part of the lineup, including films on Brian Wilson, the Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood and Third Eye Blind.
The coronavirus pandemic has rattled the entire entertainment industry, resulting in the postponement or cancellation of numerous film premieres, music tours and festivals (including South By Southwest and Coachella). The NBA suspended its 2019-2020 season on Wednesday, and several other professional sports leagues have since taken precautionary measures.
Featured via: Rollingstone
