Eastern European film festivals to participate in international 10-day streaming event

Film festivals worldwide are teaming up to launch We Are One: A Global Film Festival, a 10-day streaming event to aid with Covid-19 relief.

With the global pandemic putting the 2020 festival circuit on hold, streaming giant Youtube has stepped in to launch a 10-day digital film festival with 20 partners.

The participating film festivals include Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and Sarajevo Film Festival, alongside other iconic festivals such as Cannes, Sundance, and the Venice Film Festival.

We Are One is being produced and organised by New York’s Tribeca Enterprises, the organisers of the Tribeca Film Festival. It will take place on YouTube from 29 May to 7 June, bringing together an international community of storytellers to present festival programming for free to audiences around the world.

The programme, which will be released closer to the date of the event, will run with no ads and include feature-length films, shorts, documentaries, as well as panels and masterclasses. Viewers will be asked to make donations for Covid-19 relief, which will benefit the World Health Organisation and local organisations around the world.

“We often talk about film’s uniquely powerful role in inspiring and uniting people across borders and differences to help heal the world. All of the world needs healing right now,” said Jane Rosenthal, chief executive of Tribeca Enterprises. “In working with our extraordinary festival partners and YouTube we hope that everyone gets a taste of what makes each festival so unique and appreciates the art and power of film.”