The Cannes film festival has announced that due to the coronavirus outbreak its 2020 edition can not go ahead in ‘its original form.’

The festival management, in a statement, said: “It is clearly difficult to assume that the Festival de Cannes could be held this year in its original form.”

The festival had already been postponed to late June and early July, from its initial mid-May dates.

Yet organizers said this is “no longer an choice” after the earliest cultural festivals could not resume until mid-July after President Emmanuel Macron said.

The virus pandemic has devastated the glittering spring and summer cultural calendar of France, with last night organizers canceling the world’s most prestigious theater festival in the city of Avignon set to launch in early July.

Cannes however has so far avoided declaring a full-scale cancelation of the festival this year.

Last week the festival was due to announce its line-up. Actor Spike Lee was filmed to lead the jury, the black African heritage’s first male to do so.