Afternoon Insiders, Max Goldbart here. I’m headed to Banff on Sunday for the World Media Fest but before I go, here’s our digest of the week’s biggest news and analysis.Fermez la fenêtre: A fierce argument has broken out as the deep-pocketed U.S.
streamers delve deeper and deeper into Europe’s production ecologies and Disney+ was taking no prisoners this week. France has long been the battleground for arguments around local streamer activity and regulation and it was Disney’s decision to bypass the recently revised French windowing system with animated action adventure Strange World, shifting it straight to Disney+, which caused consternation in cinematic circles.
In a strongly-worded statement to Deadline, a studio spokesperson described the French windowing system, which was recently revised to allow Netflix to take films after 15 months rather than 36 in return for more spend in the nation, as “cumbersome” and “anti-consumer.” Charming.
France’s National Cinema Federation responded with a note of “firm protest,” describing Disney’s decision as a “losing choice for everyone.”Just the start: This particular debate could be just the start.
Read more on deadline.com