An exciting announcement for #LFF 2020! https://t.co/zUCRpDGmYd pic.twitter.com/Sro1Bj5qKG— BFI (at ) (@BFI) July 2, 2020
July 2 (UPI) -- The 2020 BFI London Film Festival will feature a series of online and physical events in October.
The British Film Institute (BFI) said in a press release Thursday that this year's festival will have a hybrid format of digital and live screenings due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
This year's festival runs from Oct. 7 to 18 and will feature 50 virtual premieres for audiences to watch at home. Each film will be presented with an intro or a Q&A.
In addition, 12 new films will screen in theaters across the U.K. and at the festival's flagship venue BFI Southbank and other London cinemas.
Audiences will replace the festival's official jury this year. Viewers will vote on Audience Awards in four categories: Best Fiction Feature, Best Documentary Feature, Best Short Film and Best XR. Winners will be announced in a live online ceremony during the festival's final weekend.
"Like many other live events around the world, we've had to make changes to our plans in response to a global pandemic, factoring in safety concerns and restrictions -- some known, some still unclear. But as we've undergone this planning we've also witnessed historical international protests, an urgent reminder of just how much we need to do to combat racism and inequality," BFI Film Festival director Tricia Tuttle said.
"This year has also given us an opportunity to think creatively about how we make the festival more accessible," she added. "It was vital to us that we get back to cinemas, and are looking forward to working with independent and cultural venues across the U.K. who are such an essential part of our film ecosystem."
"It's a pleasure each year to speak with audiences who share the ways filmmakers have made them laugh, think, weep, or shifted their way of seeing," Tuttle said. "Through a number of partnerships and platforms, we can't wait to share many of this year's extraordinary new films -- from around the world, from artists of different backgrounds and with many bold distinctive filmmaking voices."
The full program of events will be announced Sept. 8.
