EXCLUSIVE: The Croisette may be ablaze with chatter about the likelihood of a coronavirus outbreak as we delve deeper into the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, but at present the number of recorded cases is reassuring.
Deadline confirmed to the festival that it has averaged just three positive cases a day since its launch, among the thousands of attendees who are checked daily through BioGroup’s dedicated testing center. At least one of those who tested positive was a security guard.
Unvaccinated delegates must be able to show a negative test result that is less than 48 hours old to access certain festival areas including the Palace. The testing requirement also applies to vaccinated people arriving from non-EU countries, including the US and UK. Some appetizers required people to submit tests or be fully vaccinated.
Anyone who tests positive here is mandated by the French government to self-isolate for 10 days, which would prove a major headache for visitors who would need to hastily arrange accommodation and be stuck at inside in scorching heat. The policy is believed not to be strictly enforced, but at the very least delegates would not be able to access key parts of the festival and would bear the ethical burden of spreading the virus. People who test positive should also tell others they have been in contact with, which after an average night in Cannes could number in the hundreds. It could also cause travel issues, with many countries requiring a negative test no older than three days before boarding a flight.
We’ve been constantly assessing the mood of participants here this week in relation to the virus, and the overall picture is decidedly mixed. Many have been impressed with the festival’s efficiency regarding its Covid protocols, and are delighted to be back on the circuit, drinking in the bars and seeing old friends again. However, others are increasingly wary of the potential for a virus outbreak, especially as many people appear to be becoming increasingly lax in their approach to the various safety measures in place.
Images and videos spread from crowded projections inside the main halls displaying many spectators without masks, and artistic director Thierry Fremaux felt the need to repeatedly reaffirm that the people inside the cinemas must wear their mask at all times during the films. The president of the Festival, Pierre Lescure, however, was tickled by greeting several actresses with kisses on the red carpet one evening, which is strictly prohibited, while Adam Driver took off his mask to light a cigarette during the standing ovation that followed the Anette first.
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