Coronavirus worries cancel SLO International Film Festival
The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival has been canceled due to coronavirus concerns.
According to a news release, the San Luis Obispo Public Health Department asked that the annual festival, scheduled for March 17-22, be canceled in accordance to guidelines on the impacts of coronavirus, according to a news release.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and top health officials announced Wednesday that Californians should cancel or postpone events with more than 250 people to prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Festival organizers say they will begin to work with filmmakers to find “new ways to share variations of the festival’s program in the future, when it is safe to do so.”
“I know I speak for our staff, volunteers, sponsors, vendors and many more who have been working hard for many months to present what was set to be our biggest and best festival ever,” festival director Wendy Eidson said. “It is truly heart-breaking but we know this is the right plan of action at this time.”
“We appreciate the love and support we get from our community and appreciate their patience as we sort out the aftermath and determine the best way forward,” she said. “There will definitely be ways to share some of these exceptional films with our audiences.”
According to the release, the cancellation will “deeply impact SLO Film Fest, creating a significant financial loss.”
To combat that, organizers are asking festival-goers to convert their pass and ticket purchases into a donation. All 2020 passes will be honored for next year.
This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 12:10 PM.
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