BFI Chair Jay Hunt Raises Concern Over “Very Protectionist Language Around Hollywood” Since Donald Trump Returned To White House

deadline.com:

BFI chair Jay Hunt has warned the British film and TV industry to avoid becoming “complacent” as she cites concerns over “very protectionist language around Hollywood” from the new Donald Trump administration.

Delivering an impassioned plea for continued investment in the sector, Hunt said her “biggest concern” is that the £4.2B ($5.2B) local industry begins to feel that it has hit a “high watermark” from which it will never fall down. “There is a danger that we assume this is where the industry will settle,” she told the UK parliamentary inquiry into high-end TV and film. “I look across the landscape at a challenging regulatory environment in Europe and immediately from the new U.S.

administration some very protectionist language around Hollywood and I think one of the reasons the BFI has an important role to play is drawing attention to challenges and making it clear that the growth trajectory will not continue unless we invest in and support the sector.” She was speaking as British broadcasters report that American co-pro funding has all but disappeared from the market, although this has been brewing for some time and pre-dates Trump.

Trump has been very clear that he intends to place tariffs on countries that sell products in the U.S. and he met earlier this week with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, although the tariff topic was not reported to have come up.