Outdoor screenings and a reduced line-up: how Venice Film Festival 2020 will look

The festival will be the first physical industry event since the pandemic began

American director Todd Phillips holds the Golden Lion award for his movie ‘Joker’, posing with its star, Joaquin Phoenix, during the awarding ceremony of the 76th annual Venice International Film Festival. EPAShow less

Venice International Film Festival will go ahead from September 2, but with modifications due to the pandemic.

Organisers of the event, running for the 77th time, confirmed on Tuesday that the main competition would feature fewer films and that some screenings would take place outdoors or online.

If the plans remain as scheduled, it will be the first major film festival to be held since Covid-19 effectively shut down the industry in mid-March.

Venice Film Festival director Alberto Barbera. AP

Festival director Alberto Barbera said in a statement he was “extremely pleased that the Biennale Cinema can be held with a minimum reduction of films and sections”. He said “a significant number of directors and actors will accompany films to the Lido”.

The official selection will include 50 to 55 films, the names of which are set to be announced on Tuesday, July 28.

Screenings will take place in traditional venues as well as at two outdoor arenas – the Giardini della Biennale and a skating rink on the Lido – with adopted safety measures established by authorities.

The festival will take its Virtual Reality section online and forgo its Sconfini section, which hosts smaller films and genre fare, to accommodate more socially distanced screenings of the major films in competition. Actress Cate Blanchett is presiding over the main jury.

Travel to Italy, an early hotspot of the pandemic, is currently allowed from European Union and Schengen Area countries. The EU last week said it would reopen its border to 14 nations, but most Americans have been refused entry because of the soaring number of infections in the US. Countries with travel restrictions will be able to view press conferences virtually, Barbera said.

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Venice Film Festival 2019:

Kristen Stewart in Chanel at the premiere of 'Seberg' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 30, 2019. EPA

Cate Blanchett in Armani Prive at the screening of 'Joker' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 31, 2019. EPA

Scarlett Johansson in Celine at the screening of 'Marriage Story' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 29, 2019. EPA

Laura Dern in custom Gucci at the screening of 'Marriage Story' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 29, 2019. EPA

Zazie Beetz arrives in Valentino at the screening of 'Joker' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 31, 2019. AFP

Rooney Mara wearing Givenchy at the 'Joker' screening. Photo: Getty

Chilean actress Mariana Di Girolamo in Alberta Ferretti at the screening of 'Ema' on August 31, 2019 at the 76th Venice Film Festival. AFP

Molly Sims in Zuhair Murad at the screening of 'Marriage Story' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 29, 2019. EPA

Margaret Qualley in Gucci at the premiere of 'Seberg' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 30, 2019. EPA

Saudi actress Mila Al Zahrani arrives for the screening of 'The Perfect Candidate' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 29, 2019. AFP

Madalina Ghenea in Zuhair Murad at the premiere of 'Ad Astra' during the 76th Venice International Film Festival on August 29, 2019. EPA

Sara Sampaio in Armani Prive at the screening of 'Joker' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 31, 2019. AFP

Nadine Labaki arrives for the premiere of 'J'Accuse' during the 76th Venice International Film Festival on August 30, 2019. EPA

Sara Sampaio arrives at the premiere of 'Seberg' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 30, 2019. Getty Images

Liv Tyler and Ruth Negga arrive for the screening of 'Ad Astra' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 29, 2019. AFP

Saudi Arabian director Haifaa Al-Mansour arrives for the screening of 'The Perfect Candidate' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 29, 2019. AFP

Joaquin Phoenix arrives at the premiere of 'Joker' during the 76th annual Venice International Film Festival on August 31, 2019.

Khalid Abdulrahim arrives for the screening of 'The Perfect Candidate' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 29, 2019. AP

Candice Swanepoel arrives for the screening of 'Marriage Story' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 29, 2019. AFP

Adam Driver arrives for the screening of 'Marriage Story' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 29, 2019. EPA

Kate Upton arrives for the screening of 'Marriage Story' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 29, 2019. EPA

Billie Piper arrives for the screening of 'Marriage Story' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 29, 2019. EPA

Annabelle Wallis arrives at the premiere of 'Seberg' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 30, 2019. Getty Images

Italian singer Elodie arrives for the screening of 'Marriage Story' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 29, 2019. EPA

Brad Pitt arrives for the premiere of 'Ad Astra' during the 76th Venice International Film Festival on August 29, 2019. EPA

Bar Refaeli arrives for the premiere of 'Ad Astra' during the 76th Venice International Film Festival on August 29, 2019. EPA

Louis Garrel arrives for the premiere of 'J'Accuse' during the 76th Venice International Film Festival on August 30, 2019. EPA

Barbara Palvin in Armani Prive at the premiere of 'Seberg' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 30, 2019. Getty Images

Marica Pellegrinelli arrives at the premiere of 'Seberg' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 30, 2019. Getty Images

Michelle Hunziker arrives for the screening of 'Joker' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 31, 2019. AFP

Catherine Deneuve arrives for the screening of 'Joker' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 31, 2019. EPA

Barbara Palvin arrives for the screening of 'Joker' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 31, 2019. EPA

Carlotta Maggiorana arrives for the screening of 'Joker' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 31, 2019. EPA

Roisin O'Donovan arrives for the premiere of 'Vivere' during the 76th Venice International Film Festival on August 31, 2019. EPA

Valeria Golino arrives for the screening of 'Adults in the Room' on August 31, 2019 during the 76th Venice Film Festival. AFP

Monica Bellucci arrives for the screening of 'Irreversible - Inversion Integrale' during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 31, 2019. AFP

Vincent Cassel and his wife, Tina Kunakey, arrive for the screening of 'J'Accuse' on August 30, 2019 during the Venice Film Festival. AFP

Bella Thorne and Italian singer Benji arrive at the premiere of 'Joker' during the 76th annual Venice International Film Festival on August 31, 2019.

Director Todd Phillips and his wife arrive at the premiere of 'Joker' during the 76th annual Venice International Film Festival on August 31, 2019. EPA

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“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 reopening we all looked forward to, and a message of concrete optimism for the entire world of cinema, which has suffered greatly from this crisis.”

Toronto International Film Festival, which is typically held on the heels of Venice in September, has already announced plans for a smaller 2020 version, with fewer films and virtual red carpets. Both festivals serve as important launching grounds for awards hopefuls, although with the Oscars’ entry time frame extended by two months, it is unclear how things will work this year.

Venice International Film Festival runs from Wednesday, September 2 to Saturday, September 12.