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Banff World Media Festival to host virtual events, including sneak peek of Snowpiercer TV show

The Banff World Media Festival has unveiled a virtual replacement for its annual conference and marketplace that was cancelled in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Annual conference was cancelled due to COVID-19

Tourists are pictured in Banff in this January file photo. The Banff World Media Festival will go online after its 2020 event was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Dave Gilson/CBC News)

The Banff World Media Festival has unveiled a virtual replacement for its annual conference and marketplace that was cancelled in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Banff Virtual Edition content program will kick off May 26 with a master class and sneak peek of the drama series Snowpiercer, organizers said Tuesday in a release.

The Rockie Awards on June 15 and Banff Day on June 16 will anchor a four-month season of programming.

The full lineup will be unveiled at a later date. Online content will "connect the international media industry, ignite new projects and support business development," organizers said.

Most of the program is free for those who register for a virtual pass at banffmediafestival.com. A networking pass is also available for purchase.

The festival was originally scheduled for June 14-17 in Banff, Alta.