The Assistant, 2020(Film still)
2020 gave us a year of kind cinema when we needed it most – here are our independent and arthouse highlights
December 18, 2020
One impact of Covid-19 has been that many major tentpole films were delayed until next year. Film festivals were cancelled, meaning many independent films lost out on an important showcase. However, some film festivals, such as the London Film Festival, progressed, holding a combination of virtual screenings and socially distanced events. Many films went straight to streaming, too, bypassing theatrical release in favour of finding an audience who were isolated at home. On top of this, the lack of blockbusters meant that these films garnered more attention that they might otherwise have done. During a divisive year, one of the unifying characteristics of these films has been that they all exemplify empathy towards their characters.