You don't have to go home, but you can't win here, Netflix. That's what Cannes film festival head, Thierry Fremaux, basically told the powers that be at Netflix, since they refuse to release their films in French theaters.
The prestigious Palme d'Or is the end-all, be-all at the Cannes film festival or Festival International du Film de Cannes. (Imagine the Academy giving out one Oscar instead of 937 of them -- that's the Palme d'Or). Fremaux says that Netflix and other streaming services can still show their films at the festival, but won't be allowed to compete because they refused to release them in theaters. The board said in a statement: "Any film that wishes to compete in competition at Cannes will have to commit itself to being distributed in movie theaters." This new rule went into effect for 2018, after the issue was raised last year by France's exhibitors' association. Last year, the festival included two Netflix titles -- Bong Joon-ho's Okja and Noah Baumbach's The Meyerowitz Stories."Cannes is aware of the anxiety aroused by the absence of the release in theaters of those films in France. The Festival de Cannes asked Netflix in vain to accept that these two films could reach the audience of French movie theaters and not only its subscribers," the statement said. "The festival regrets that no agreement has been reached."
Last May, when the whole Netflix issue went under debate at the festival's jury press conference, Jury president Pedro Almodovar clashed with actor Will Smith on whether Netflix should be in or out.
Smith was in Netflix's corner. "In my house, Netflix has been nothing but an absolute benefit," Smith said, explaining that his kids get to see films they absolutely wouldn't have seen. "Netflix brings a great connectivity. There are movies that are not on a screen within 8,000 miles of them. They get to find those artists."
As for Almodovar? "I'll be fighting for one thing that I'm afraid the new generation is not aware of," he said. "It's the capacity of the hypnosis of the large screen for the viewer. The size [of the screen] should not be smaller than the chair on which you're sitting. It should not be part of your everyday setting. You must feel small and humble in front of the image that's here."
I totally just heard that whole quote with a French accent. It kind of made me think of Kevin Kline's line in the movie, French Kiss, with Meg Ryan. Remember this line? "When peepol say zey ah happee, eet makes my ass tweetch." (Translation: "When people say they are happy, it makes my ass twitch)."
I think it's safe to say, between the Cannes film festival and Netflix, no one is very happy. But there are definitely some asses twitching.
The Cannes film festival kicks off May 8. Will YOU be watching the red carpet coverage or banning it in honor of Netflix? Tell us all about it in the comments.
