Netflix-Cannes Row – who is the loser?

Netflix, one of the biggest entertainment content companies, and Cannes Film Festival, the world’s most prestigious film festival both want it their way. Cannes bars any film without theatrical distribution in France to enter its Palme d’Or competition. This means Netflix-produced movies that are released exclusively on Netflix cannot compete in this category. A French law actually states that a movie can be released on a home entertainment platform (like Netflix) only 3 years after its theatrical release.

So who is the loser in this row? 

Netflix definitely, because even a nod from the Cannes judges and audiences during the festival can go a long way in guaranteeing future viewership for its production. The Cannes festival and its audiences are losers too as they are missing out on some quality movies from their screening mix. 

Perhaps there is no attempt to reach a compromise. Can’t Netflix agree to do a theatrical release of its production only in France in order to compete in Cannes? OR can’t Cannes allow Netflix to release a Netflix production on the Netflix platform first for an agreed period of time before asking them to do a theatrical release? 

A win-win solution is definitely possible.

And moving forward, what if in future, a director like Olivier Assayas, a past Cannes Film Festival Best Director winner decides to direct a film for Netflix? Will that film be barred from entering the competition? Who is the loser then?

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