The creation of new technologies has enabled the reorientation of individuals’ relationships to screens. Indeed, “films and screens on which they are viewed have become elastic, malleable, and ready to be relocated from film theaters” (Despande and Mazaj 38). With the proliferation of different forms of movie watching, streaming services have attempted to enter their films to film festivals, many of which do not have theatrical releases. Though some film festivals have been more receptive to the participation of films from Netflix, Cannes remains steadfast in their exclusion of films without theatrical release in France. The Venice Film Festival, unlike Cannes, accepts streamable films that do not prioritize theatrical releases. In addition, many prominent filmmakers did not make the entry deadline at Cannes, creating an influx of films at the upcoming Venice Film Festival in August.
Read more on Variety about the politics of streaming at Cannes and Venice
Read more on Screen Daily about France’s media laws
Refer to Chapter 2: Watching World Cinema for more on the different forms of moviegoing