By Valerie Milano
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 3/9/20 – The dreaded Coronavirus outbreak has landed on the cusp of several major international film events scheduled for 2020. Each of them faces different organizational issues relating to travel and attendance that could reverberate throughout the year.
South by Southwest (SXSW), an annual conglomeration of parallel film, media, and music festivals and conferences held in Austin, Texas, was due to take place very soon from March 13th-22nd. Austin Mayor Steve Adler canceled the event for the first time in SXSW’s 33-year history after mega-companies like Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Intel, Netflix, and Twitter pulled their contributions. 
Nearer to Los Angeles, CinemaCon–which usually brings thousands of rabid film fan from all over the world to Las Vegas–is due to be hosted at Caesars Palace from March 30th-April 2nd. Untold numbers of film events are scheduled to launch in Southern California throughout the sunny spring quarter.
Worst-case scenarios show the Coronavirus peaking in late May right around the time of the Cannes Film Festival, which is scheduled to take place this year from May 12th-23rd. The CFF counts on revenues from 75,000 to over 200,000 visitors every year. It is too soon to say how these or most other 2020 film events will be affected by the Coronavirus outbreak.
Originating in China, the Coronavirus has had by far the biggest impact upon the Chinese film industry. The releases of major Western films such as the aptly titled James Bond thriller “No Time to Die” have been put back indefinitely in China until the Coronavirus outbreak has run its course.
THT readers are urged to consult sites like the one below for frequent updates about forthcoming 2020 film and entertainment events and heed all local warnings about Coronavirus outbreaks. The World Health Organization has announced a “very high alert” after the virus spread to over 50 countries in a matter of weeks.
About the Coronavirus:
Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). They are zoonotic, meaning that they are transmitted between animals and people. The latest Coronavirus strain from China is thought to have originated from bats.
Common signs of Coronavirus infection include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and other breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, kidney failure, and even death.