With the pandemic prompting the postponement of much awaited film festivals worldwide, 20 of the major film festivals around the world have decided to unite for a 10-day-long global streaming event on YouTube. Organized by YouTube and Tribeca Enterprises, the event entitled We Are One: A Global Film Festival is also a fundraising initiative that will benefit the World Health Organization COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.
“It’s an event that’s never been done before and we’re proud to be the home for this fantastic content that is free to fans around the world,” Robert Kyncl, Chief Business Officer, YouTube, says in a press statement from Mumbai Film Festival.
It will stream free movies, documentaries and panel discussions that have been shown from the following major film festivals worldwide including:
- Cannes Film Festival
- Sundance Film Festival
- Sydney Film Festival
- Tokyo International Film Festival
- Toronto International Film Festival
- Tribeca Film Festival
- Venice Film Festival
- Annecy International Animation Film Festival
- Berlin International Film Festival
- BFI London Film Festival
- Guadalajara International Film Festival
- International Film Festival & Awards Macao (IFFAM)
- Jerusalem Film Festival
- Mumbai Film Festival (MAMI)
- Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
- Locarno Film Festival
- Marrakech International Film Festival
- New York Film Festival
- San Sebastian International Film Festival
- Sarajevo Film Festival
While the complete lineup is still to be announced, the organizers have announced that its screenings will be available on the link youtube.com/weareone from May 29 to Jun. 7. What’s more is that the films will be free of ads or commercials. Though as mentioned, viewers are encouraged to make donations for COVID-19 relief work.
“We stand united with people across the world in this difficult time,” Smriti Kiran, Artistic Director, Jio Mami Mumbai Film Festival, adds in the said press release and further says: “This is our show of solidarity, faith and hope.”
It should be noted, however, that the event will not replace standalone festivals that have not yet been called off, such as Cannes, Venice and Toronto—all of which are still working out how they will push through.
Header photo by Jeremy Yap on Unsplash
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Writer: JOY THERESE GOMEZ
