The annual Setting Sun Film Festival, which sells out every year, will go ahead despite COVID-19.
Now in its seventh year, it had been set to screen Yarraville’s Sun Theatre and Kindred Studios before the cinemas were shut down.
Instead, an abridged version of the festival will be screened online for free from May 6-12.
Festival director Anna Bourozikas the move could attract an even wider audience than usual.
“The online festival is a goodwill gesture to our community in these difficult times until we can present the full festival later in the year,” she said.
“We are the first of Melbourne’s film festivals to be presenting an online festival after having to decide whether to cancel or postpone their event because of COVID-19.”
She said the online festival could be viewed by people around the world who were in isolation because of the pandemic.
“It also gives our overseas filmmakers a chance to view the festival when ordinarily they wouldn’t,” Ms Bourozikas said.
More than 200 submissions were received for this year’s festival, which will feature a selection of award-winning films in various genres from Australia and overseas.
At the end, viewers can vote for Best Film.
Finalists will be revealed at the end of the online festival with winners to be announced when cinemas reopen later this year.
For more information and to watch the festival, visit www.settingsun.com.au
