Covid has made the Cannes Film Festival even more significant

The celebration of film in the French Riviera is a huge leap towards normality for the industry, writes Charlotte Cripps

The Cannes Film Festival pre-Covid (Getty)

The French Riviera has been bustling with A-list stars at the Cannes Film Festival these last two weeks.

It’s a sight we’ve not seen since Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite won the Palme d’Or two years ago – last year’s festival was cancelled due to the pandemic. But against the odds, the festival went ahead this year – two months later than usual – with the 2021 Palme d’Or winner being announced later on Saturday.

It’s a huge leap forward to normality for the film industry that is estimated to have lost $32bn (£23bn) globally in 2020.