The Cannes Film Festival dates were originally set for May 11th – May 22nd, but the dates did not seem achievable as France is on the cusp of a new lockdown to cope with the second wave of COVID-19. At the meeting this Tuesday, the board came to the decision to postpone the festival until July 6th running through to July 17th 2021. 

The Cannes Film Festival is expected to take place after Cannes Lions, the advertising and marketing trade show, which is still on track to run from June 21st to June 25th.

In May 2020, the festival was cancelled due to the pandemic, but the Cannes Festival did unveil an Official Selection. The organisers are doing everything in their power to avoid the same scenario in 2021. It has been published in Variety and Screen Daily that if the dates in July don’t work out, the end of August is being considered as a back-up. However, the later date could be slightly problematic due to the proximity with the Venice Film Festival which has a set date from September 1st until September 11th. 

Spike Lee who was named the jury President for 2020 is still expected to lead the Jury in 2021.