Organizers of CineEurope, the major exhibition conference that takes place in Barcelona each June, have updated on their plans in light of the coronavirus crisis. The team has set a deadline of May 4 for a final decision on whether it will forge ahead. Run by Film Expo Group, and the official convention of the International Union of Cinemas, CineEurope is a key date on the calendar for Hollywood studios as they present their upcoming slates to European cinema operators. It is currently set to run June 22-25 in Spain which is currently under lockdown owing to COVID-19.
In an email sent to participants, Film Expo’s Robert and Andrew Sunshine wrote, “All of our lives are changing in ways unimaginable just a few weeks ago. We are to a great extent in uncharted territory, with the outbreak of the Coronavirus shaking many established norms… Staying in touch with all of you on this is a priority for us, as is ensuring that everyone who comes to the convention is kept safe and well. We are of course hoping that there will be a drastic change in the current position in the next month or so, so that we can as planned press ahead with CineEurope from 22-25 June 2020. But we recognize that any decision needs to be made in sufficient time to allow you all to make or change plans. For that reason, we have set ourselves a deadline of 4 May 2020 to make that decision.”
The Sunshines and their team added, “Throughout this process, we will be transparent and will regularly keep you informed.”
This same group was obliged to cancel CineAsia last year amid escalating violence and anti-government protesting in Hong Kong. That event, which had been held in Hong Kong since 2009, subsequently is due to take place in Bangkok this coming December. Film Expo also runs ShowEast in Miami, currently dated October 19-22.
Earlier this month, the National Association of Theatre Owners said that it was cancelling CinemaCon 2020, which had been set for March 30-April 2 in Las Vegas.