The President of the United States wants to impose 100% customs duties on films filmed outside his country. Decryption of the possible impact of this spectacular measure with Philippe Reynaert, the ” Mr. Cinema ” with famous white glasses.
He is the biggest cinema specialist in Belgium. Philippe Reynaert was director of Wallimage, the Walloon Economic Audiovisual Fund, and he is about to release a book of film chronicles entitled The look of man with white glasses at Montparnasse editions. It sheds light on the consequences that Donald Trump’s last culture-commercial offensive could have, namely the implementation of customs duties of 100 % on films produced outside the United States.
If this measure becomes effective, what could be its impact on the distribution of European films in the land of Donald Trump?
Philippe Reynaert : It can have a very big impact because it is already a lot of trouble getting European films in the United States. If customs taxes actually increase by 100%, it is to be expected that the few American distributors such as Sony Pictures Classics which make the effort to release European films in VO, subtitled for a circuit limited in the United States, will give up. Already, currently, the profitability of the release of European films in the United States is minimal, so we can imagine that it harms them more, even that these outings disappear outright.
Could these customs duties increased 100% in the United States also have an impact on film production in Europe?
Not really, because there is no European film whose business plan Based on sales in the United States. It remains very marginal. But there are many other problems related to the production of films in Europe …
That’s to say ?
It is not yet very clear in Trump’s statements because we do not know if he also intends to penalize the American films which are partly made in Europe. Because there, however, there are a lot! For Americans, it is cheaper to turn abroad and then there are also many tax incentives. If it should take place, there are two countries that will really drink, namely France and Canada. Almost all majors have studios in Vancouver. This city is called the ” Hollywood North ” because many American films and blockbusters are made in Vancouver. So, for Canadians, it would be very serious. And for France also because our neighbors have bet, for a few years already, on the importation of the manufacture of American films by creating a so-called international tax credit which, in fact, is practically used 100% by Anglo-Saxons and especially the Americans. So there, yes, there may be a real problem for post-production companies and for large shooting trays, several of which have been inaugurated in the past two years, precisely to be able to welcome this kind of production.
If these 100% customs duties on foreign films become effective, should we fear for the cultural diversity of films distributed in the United States?
If Trump goes to the end of his thought, he will still impoverish the American system. Its logic is the impoverishment of the diversity of supply in the United States. Because, already like that, it’s very difficult for Americans to see something other than their blockbusters. There are very few international films or even films by American authors who circulate, but there, they will disappear! So, ideologically, this is the only benefit that I see for Trump: further reducing the margin of reflection by cinema spectators.
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