Inwood Film Festival Postponed Amid Coronavirus Fears: Organizers

INWOOD, NY — The Inwood Film Festival, scheduled for this weekend, has been postponed amid coronavirus fears at Columbia University, where it was to be held, organizers announced Monday.

The festival, led by nonprofit Inwood Art Works, was scheduled for March 13 through 15 at the Campbell Sports Center, a venue on Columbia's campus.

Columbia University announced this week that it would cancel class and shift to remote classes after a member of the school was exposed to the coronavirus, which has infected 165 people in New York as of Tuesday morning.

The shift also means that all non-essential events of more than 25 people at the university are suspended, including the festival, organizers said.

"Inwood Art Works, a nonprofit organization that creates and curates professional performing and visual arts in the Inwood community including the IFF, is devastated to share this news, however they will faithfully follow the university’s direction and postpone the film festival," Art Works said in an email. "IAW is now working through the difficulties of this unprecedented situation."

(To keep up to date with coronavirus developments in NYC, sign up for Patch's news alerts and newsletter.)

The organizers emphasized that the festival has been postponed and not cancelled.

"Along with Columbia University and the staff at the Campbell Sport Center, they are exploring options to reschedule the Inwood Film Festival in late Spring 2020," Art Works said.

Those who have already purchased their ticket should email IAW at info@inwoodartworks.nyc for options on transferring the tickets for the rescheduled date or to request a full refund.

More information will be available soon for filmmakers, volunteers and attendees, organizers said.

Coronavirus In NYC: Where It's Spread And What's Being Done