The Netflix controversy is inescapable at Cannes. On Wednesday, the film festival opened with a spirited debate between jury president Pedro Almodóvar and Will Smith about the streaming company, which premieres two films in the Official Competition this week, and whether it represents progress for or the downfall of the film industry. On Friday, Netflix got off to a rocky start, debuting its thrilling first movie, Okja, in a screening interrupted by projection problems and followed by an occasionally tense press conference.
On Thursday afternoon, the conversation wafted high above the Croisette, to a rooftop lounge where Oscar-winning French actress Marion Cotillard told Vanity Fair that she is firmly siding with her country’s film festival in its decision to reverse its policy—and, beginning next year, allow only films slated for French theatrical release in the Official Competition.
“The energy that you have in a movie theater when a movie is shared, whether it’s laughter or emotion, is priceless,” said Cotillard, who starred in the festival’s opening-night film, Ismael’s Ghosts, a drama from French filmmaker Arnaud Desplechin. “[The theatrical experience] is something that should be cherished, but at the same time, those [Netflix] movies are an artistic expression. I just hope it won’t spread too much.
“We thought that social media would create a closeness between people,” Cotillard continued. “It actually doesn’t, most of the time. The movie theater is something important, and it creates this very strong energy that is impossible when you are alone in front of your computer. I’m not sure people will watch those movies together. I don’t think it will happen.”
After a pause, she said, carefully weighed her words, “It’s another step in separating people from each other, and I think it’s sad.”
Cotillard described her own experience with social media, which she limits to Instagram.
“There are a lot of good things about it, but there are also a lot of weird things about it,” she said. “Like, I’ve never been on Facebook, for example, but the information that is shared without any connection between the people is something that is really weird to me. To have information on a friend that the friend didn’t communicate to you directly is super weird.”
Sometimes, when she notices a friend has embarked on an adventure she hadn’t heard about, she immediately phones him or her.
“I just want to hear them talking about it,” Cotillard said, “instead of just watching their lives on Instagram.”
