While it seemed like yesterday’s announcement of the lineup for the 2021 Cannes Film Festival couldn’t have been better, festival boss Thierry Fremaux has since revealed that a wider range of movies could have joined the rostra of major titles premiering on the Croisette – and they’re not, because of Netflix.
Now, it’s slightly more complex than that, but Fremaux explained in a new interview with Deadline that there were conversations about several high-profile titles including Jane Campion’s “Power of the Dog” and Andrew Dominik’s “Blonde,” but that the festival and the streaming giant could not come to an agreement that would see the movies playing at Cannes.
“Jane Campion’s movie could have been ready, Andrew Dominik’s film could have been ready — it’s beautiful, I saw it — and I invited those films Out of Competition,” Fremaux explained. The festival director went on to claim that “Netflix doesn’t want to come to Cannes,” saying, “but I invited them anyway and alas… It’s important; it’s not us refusing Netflix movies, it’s Netflix who doesn’t want or can’t…” Although he added the crucial caveat: “They want to come in Competition, but films that are part of the Competition must be released (theatrically) in France.”
When asked if there might be a way forward in the future – considering Netflix is increasingly partnering with high-profile auteurs, Cannes must be kicking themselves not to be working with – Fremaux remained somewhat hopeful.
“Globally, I think yes, it is going to change one day,” he said. “I think that all over the world, the question of windows, of the protection of theatrical, of the appearance of platforms — all of this is a fundamental phenomenon of the world of the moving image, and we want Cannes to be in some way at the heart of that.”
Not forgetting the digital release titans, he went on: “But, I’d like that Netflix is also at the heart of that. However, Netflix protects its system, its subscribers, its clients. I would have loved that they come Out of Competition also to show the quality of their work, the quality of their productions. But to see the quality of their productions, you have to go to Netflix. Fortunately, I’m a subscriber, and I love Netflix, but my job is to show films. I would also love to show Netflix films.”
It might not be this year or even the next – but hopefully, this means a dialogue could be on the horizon.