Coronavirus forces cancellation of Sarasota Film Festival
The Sarasota Film Festival has become the latest major event to either postpone or cancel in the wake of concerns about the novel Coronavirus.
The festival announced the postponement on Friday.
The film festival was scheduled for March 27 through April 5 but is being postponed due to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ announcement on Thursday recommending postponing mass gatherings throughout the state of Florida.
In a press release issued Friday, officials said the festival will, “look to another time when public health officials have determined a time when the public can safely attend large-scale events.”
The festival, the release noted, remains committed to continuing efforts to promote the vision, storytelling and film making while ensuring the health and safety of the audiences and patrons.
“We are very appreciative of all the support we have received from the industry and local community and as always the health and safety of our audiences remains a top priority, and we look forward to determining a new vision for this festival at the appropriate time and supporting our filmmakers in the months to come,” said Mark Familglio, chairman and president of the film festival.
This story was originally published March 13, 2020 at 1:23 PM with the headline "Coronavirus forces cancellation of Sarasota Film Festival."