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Entertainment  

Venice Film Festival still on

The 2020 Venice Film Festival will not be canceled or postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to the local Italian governor.

Veneto Governor Luca Zaia, who is on the board of directors for organizers the Biennale di Venezia, is confident the annual September event will proceed as planned, as lockdown restrictions across the nation are starting to be eased.

According to local media outlets, the official acknowledged the line-up for the festival will likely be scaled back after productions across the world were halted over COVID-19 concerns back in March, but he believes there is no reason not to press ahead with the gathering.

Venice Film Festival bosses have yet to issue a formal statement on the updated status of the bash, which is pegged to take place from 2 to 12 September, with actress Cate Blanchett appointed to lead the main competition jury.

The slate of movies set to screen at the event is typically unveiled in late July.

Zaia's comments echo those of Biennale president Roberto Cicutto, who last month declared organizers would defy the global health crisis to stage their 77th edition as planned.

If the Venice Film Festival does open in September, it will become the first major film event to be held in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

To date, more than 32,700 people in Italy have died due to COVID-19, the third highest total behind the U.S. and the U.K.



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