The 73rd annual Cannes Film Festival was scheduled to take place from 12 to 23 May 2020.[1] On 13 January 2020, Spike Lee was named as the president of the jury.[2] However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in France, festival management announced on 14 April 2020 that the festival could not be held in its "original form", with alternative means of observing the festival being explored.[3]