Cannes says 2017 is first and last for Netflix unless it changes
LONDON — Netflix, the video-on-demand company, will not be allowed to compete at the Cannes Film Festival after this year unless it changes its policy and gives its movies a cinema release, organizers said on Wednesday. The 2017 festival, which begins next week, has Netflix films in its competition for the first time, a decision that angered the French movie theater sector as the company said the films will only be streamed to subscribers and not shown in cinemas. Festival Director Thierry Fremaux had said he believed Netflix would arrange some kind of cinema release for the two films in competition — The Meyerowitz Stories and Okja — both highly anticipated, with stars that include Jake Gyllenhaal, Ben Stiller and Tilda Swinton. But the festival said on Wednesday that no such deal had been reached, and while the two films would be allowed to remain in competition this year, thereafter no film would be accepted that is not guaranteed distribution in French movie theaters.
Notice on the festival’s website about next year’s rule requiring exhibitors to commit to being distributed in French movie theaters
“The festival is pleased to welcome a new operator which has decided to invest in cinema ,” the festival said on its website in response to rumors that the Netflix films would be excluded at the last minute from Cannes 2017. “(Cannes) wants to reiterate its support to the traditional mode of exhibition of cinema in France and in the world,” it continued, adding that from next year its rules would explicitly state any film entered for competition would have to “commit itself to being distributed in French movie theaters”. In France, which proudly defends its culture and language against the global dominance of the United States, the decision is a victory for traditional cinema. Since its launch in France, according to magazine Premiere, Netflix has “declared war on movie theaters”. Netflix founder and CEO Reed Hastings made a brief but defiant comment on his Facebook page: “The establishment closing ranks againstus.See Okja on Netflix June 28. Amazing film that theater chains want to block us from entering into Cannes film festival competition.” Another US streaming service, Amazon, also has a film in competition, Todd Haynes’ Wonderstruck, but has not been subject to the same opposition as it screens its films at cinemas as well as online.
(Cannes) wants to reiterate its support to the traditional mode of exhibition of cinema in France and in the world.”