The productions of the Netflix streaming service are not shown at the Cannes Film Festival. The new titles may not participate in the prizes due to a new rule.
At the end of March, the French festival announced new rules. All films that want to participate in the upcoming edition for the prizes must also be seen in French cinemas. This is not the case with the streaming service streams like Netflix. Last year, two Netflix titles competed for the prizes. Okja and The Meyerowitz Stories ultimately did not get the recognition they hoped for.
Netflix still gets the opportunity to show their films at the festival, but outside the competition. However, the streaming service does not participate. “We want our films to be put on an equal footing with films from other filmmakers,” says Ted Sarnados, who is responsible in his job as Chief Content Officer for the production and publication of the content of the streaming service, in conversation with Variety.
“Film festivals should contribute to discovering films so that they can be distributed and, under these new conditions, we can no longer release our own films worldwide on the same day, as we have done with almost 100 titles in recent years.”
The Cannes Film Festival is this year from 8 to 19 May.
