Deepika Padukone at Cannes Film Festival in 2019. (Image courtesy: AFP)

Cannes:

Organisers of the Cannes Film Festival are preparing to axe COVID-19 curbs ahead of its 75th edition. As per Variety, the annual celebration of movies won’t be testing attendees, as it did last year, and will not institute a mask mandate at screenings and events. “Since the health pass is no longer in application in France, guests will not have to show a proof of testing or vaccination to enter the Palais,” Cannes general secretary Francois Desrousseaux informed.

He added, “Most participants will likely be vaccinated anyway, because France has made it very complicated for non-vaccinated travelers to enter the country.”

He also pointed out that roughly 95 per cent of the adult population in France has already received two shots of the vaccine.

“We’re in a very different situation than last year because the curve of COVID-19 infections is going down, instead of going up,” the Paris-based executive said.

Another change from last year is that masks will not be mandatory indoors, but will instead be strongly recommended. However, Desrousseaux said Cannes staffers will be wearing masks.

The 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival will take place from May 17 to 28, 2022.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)