The cancellation of the SXSW 2020 Film Festival last month due to the coronavirus pandemic was among the first of now dozens of entertainment industry events delayed or outright postponed by COVID-19. On Thursday, SXSW and Amazon Prime Video announced their plan to launch an online film festival — “Prime Video presents the SXSW 2020 Film Festival Collection” — for filmmakers who were in this year’s SXSW lineup.
This one-time event will play exclusively on Amazon Prime Video in the U.S. for 10-days. According to the official press release, the films “will be available in front of the Prime Video paywall and free to all audiences around the country, with or without an Amazon Prime membership, all that is needed is a free Amazon account.” Participating filmmakers will receive a screening fee for streaming their film over the 10-day period.
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“Ever since SXSW was cancelled by the City of Austin, we’ve been focused on how we could help the incredible films and filmmakers in the SXSW 2020 Film Festival lineup,” said Janet Pierson, Director of Film, SXSW, in a statement.
“We were delighted when Amazon Prime Video offered to host an online film festival, and jumped at the opportunity to connect their audiences to our filmmakers. We’re inspired by the adaptability and resilience of the film community as it searches for creative solutions in this unprecedented crisis.”
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While no official launch date has been set yet, SXSW and Prime Video said they are aiming for late April.
Source: IGN.com SXSW, Amazon Partner For Online Festival Free on Prime Video