AFI Fest Going Virtual For 2020 Edition

Another live festival bites the dust. The American Film Institute announced Tuesday that its annual AFI Fest will go virtual as COVID-19 continues to affect Los Angeles.

AFI officials detailed the decision to the Los Angeles Times. Instead of its September in-person premieres, AFI Fest will feature virtual events in October. The annual film festival, however isn’t the film organization’s first event gone virtual.

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In June its documentary-centered event touted similar structure with virtual screenings and other events.

Last year’s AFI Fest boasted a number of star-studded premieres, including those for Melina Matsoukas and Lena Waithe’s Queen & Slim and Fernando Meirelles’ Oscar-nominated The Two Popes. The 2019 festival even included a special screening of The Irishman, as a tribute to Martin Scorsese.

AFI seeks to announce its lineup for this year’s fest come September. AFI Fest will run from Oct. 15 to Oct. 22 online.

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