The Quebec film industry has been on the alert since Donald Trump threatens to impose 100% tariffs on the films produced outside the United States. An emergency meeting was even organized with Minister Christine Fréchette in Mels studios at the end of the day on Monday.
On his initiative, the Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy spent about an hour with the president of the studios Mels, Patrick Jutras, and the big boss of Quebecor, Pierre-Karl Péladeau, to try to understand the impact that such a decision on the Quebec film industry could have.
“It is a sector that we will want to protect because there is important expertise,” said Minister Fréchette after the meeting. There are 61,000 people who work in the cinematographic or television field. It is a strategic and importance sector that we are going to have to the eye. ”
Patrick Jutras recalls that the whole world of world cinema was struck by Trump’s announcement on Sunday evening. No one knows if these threats will be implemented, and if this is the case, how these prices will be applied.
“I discussed with several American partners and there are a lot of misunderstandings on the procedure and on what that means, a foreign film,” notes Mr. Jutras.
“There is no decree, so we do not yet know if it will really take shape,” adds Minister Fréchette. There are still a lot of unknown, but it is an alarm signal sent to us and that we are going to watch carefully.
“We will try to convince President Trump to backtrack if he has the will to move forward, and we will also convince Prime Minister Carney that culture is a sector to protect.”
filming already in slow motion
Photo Agence QMI, JOEL LEMAY
This threat falls at a very bad time for the world of cinema. The American shooting industry in Quebec has already been going through a period of slowdown for a few months. Patrick Jutras fears that the climate of uncertainty that could set up after this announcement come to cool the current discussions with potential new American partners.
“We have three productions which are now here and we must reassure them. If the prices are possibly put in place, it will not happen tomorrow. ”
Pierre-Karl Péladeau recalls that Quebec has developed an expertise that is recognized worldwide, as much in terms of filming as post-production, sound and visual effects.
“If major productions come here to Montreal and Quebec, it is not because we have beautiful eyes,” he insists. This is because we have developed this skill [dont] We are able to also benefit all local productions. We are talking about an ecosystem that represents more than 60,000 jobs and all kinds of activities. I think that is what we have to protect and what we must continue to work to ensure the sustainability of our industry. ”
