MANILA — The 2020 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival in August, one of the largest film festivals in the country, has been postponed as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
This Saturday, organizers confirmed on Facebook that the festival will be moved because “we recognize the health and safety hazards that film production might pose on filmmakers and workers as they strive to meet the original deadlines for the competition.”
A new date was not announced.
A statement said that the COVID-19 crisis has put into “sharp focus the readiness of our industry with regards to the health and safety,” and that they’ll be addressing this “gap” once things return to normal.
There will also be discussions on how to mitigate the loss of the festival’s stakeholders.
Cinemalaya added that although the festival has been postponed, they are “heartened by the independent initiatives of filmmakers and publics to use the digital medium to inform, instruct, and inspire.”
“We anticipate a new breed of stories and storytellers as we emerge from this defining moment in our history,” the organizers continued, before reminding to people to properly implement social distancing, wash their hands, and follow the quarantine rules.