Mammoth Film Festival Postponed Indefinitely Over LA Wildfires’ Impact on ‘Attendance Capabilities’
The Mammoth Film Festival has been postponed over the still-raging Los Angles wildfires, and the February festival, held since 2018 in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., did not immediately announce an alternative date.
The tourist-friendly ski town, 300 miles north of L.A. high in the Sierra Madre Mountains, was not directly affected by the sweeping wildfires devastating Southern California’s most populous region. But the connection, and reason for postponement, was self-evident:
“The devastating and unforeseen wildfire tragedies in the state have not only affected the region’s environment and infrastructure but have also impacted travel and attendance capabilities for potential festivalgoers,” the festival said in a statement.
The Mammoth Film Festival was originally scheduled for Feb. 20 to 24. The fest is separate from the Mammoth Lakes Film Festival, which is scheduled for May.
“This decision wasn’t made lightly,” Tomik Mansoori, who co-founded the festival with Tanner Beard, told TheWrap. “We considered the evolving challenges in the industry, the increasing costs of operating in California, back-to-back years of relentless blizzards, and now the devastation caused by this natural disaster. These circumstances have placed enormous financial and emotional strain – not just on the filmmakers, buyers, and everyone involved.”
Mansoori expressed hope that the festival will return “when the time is right.”
The ongoing devastation has canceled several events in and around Hollywood, including the Critics Choice Awards, SAG Awards in-person nominations, and the nominations event for the Oscars.
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