The Cannes Film Festival, a gathering of the world's most influential filmmakers, has been abuzz with discussions about President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs on foreign-made films.
The proposal has been met with widespread disapproval, even from those who have previously supported the President.
According to Breitbart, the President's plan to impose 100% tariffs on films produced overseas has been described as a "massive potential disaster" for an industry already grappling with the rise of streaming platforms. Scott Jones, the head of Artist View Entertainment, expressed his concerns, stating, "I dont see any benefit to what he is trying to do. If anything it could really hurt us."
Jones, who is currently promoting his Tennessee-shot Civil War epic "The Legend of Van Dorn" at the festival, added, "A lot of people are out of work right now, and this is not going to make it better. There needs to be method to the madness."
Even Trump's "special ambassadors" to the industry, actors Jon Voight and Sylvester Stallone, have voiced their concerns. They, along with a broad coalition of Hollywood producers, writers, and directors, signed a letter thanking the President for drawing attention to the issue of U.S. productions being shot overseas, but suggested tax breaks as a more effective solution to keep them in the United States.
The letter highlighted that "more than 80 countries offer production tax incentives and as a result, numerous productions that could have been shot in America have instead located elsewhere."
The international nature of film production is evident in the biggest American film at Cannes, Tom Cruises "Mission: Impossible The Final Reckoning," which was primarily shot in Britain and South Africa. Louise Lantagne, head of Quebecreatif, a Canadian industry support organization, pointed out that "Hollywood movies are made all over the world."
She noted that producers have been making films in Canada for decades due to lower costs, tax credits, excellent facilities, and top technical talent.
While some, like American sales agent Monique White of California Pictures, believe the tariffs are "unfeasible" and expect Trump to abandon the idea, others fear the damage has already been inflicted. A veteran producer, who requested anonymity, said the mere threat of tariffs has been "catastrophic for confidence," particularly among foreign investors.
Even if the tariffs were to be implemented, Lantagne argued that determining what constitutes a U.S. film would be a "bureaucratic nightmare," given the global nature of film financing and talent. Sylvain Bellemare, an Oscar-winning sound editor, cited his recent work on the U.S. film "Splitsville" and Paramount's "Novocaine" as examples of the complexities of international film production.
The high cost of shooting in the U.S. has also been a significant factor driving productions overseas. Bellemare noted that American producers "do not have the money anymore to shoot in the US like they used to in California, it is so expensive." California's governor, Gavin Newsom, has been striving to double tax breaks to $750 million a year to counter this trend, a sum that White argues "is still way too small."
As the debate continues, the Cannes Film Festival's industry market is teeming with countries offering generous fiscal incentives to lure US movie and TV makers. The President's proposed tariffs, therefore, not only threaten the international nature of the film industry but also risk undermining the competitiveness of American productions.
Login