Iris Knoblok, president of the Cannes Film Festival, urged the industry not to panic about the US threat of imposing 100% tariffs on films made overseas ahead of the opening of the 78th edition of the annual gala.
“It’s still too early to measure potential impacts at this stage,” she said. “But I hope that the global film industry will not be paralyzed by attention and uncertainty.”
The tariff threat that executives warned could freeze overseas production comes in addition to other external pressures on filmmakers, she told the Financial Times.
“After the Covid-19, the workforce and the recent shock of Los Angeles wildfires, the industry remains vulnerable. However, the film sector has always shown significant resilience and adaptability in the face of changing circumstances.”
Benicio del Toro stars as Zsa-Zsa Korda from the Phoenician Scheme © TPS Productions/Focus Feature/Shutterstock, directed by Wes Anderson
According to Knobloch, Hollywood has returned to power after this upheaval. Knobloch is boosted by confidence in the industry, where studios have returned to cinemas as audiences return after the pandemic.
“Looking at what’s going on at the box office right now, Hollywood is back,” she said. “Hollywood has always reinvented itself, and I think we’re seeing this happening slowly.”
Knobloch will open a film festival on May 13th. It captivated the launches of big hits such as Tom Cruise’s latest Mission Imposement. Robert De Niro receives honorary Parmedollar for his lifetime achievements at the opening ceremony.
Cannes is “the best in the film,” Noblock told Fort. “All the films deserve to be there.”
The festival received 2,909 feature film entries from 156 countries this year, with about a third being made by women. In the main competition, 21 films were selected. In 2024, Cannes title received 31 Oscar nominations.
Iris Knoblock on the red carpet alongside film president Thierry Freemau and Cannes Freemau Thierry Freemau and mayor at last year’s festival ©Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images
This year’s selected films include Rebecca Zlotovsky’s Vie Private starring Jodie Foster, Tarik Sale’s Republic Eagles, Wes Anderson’s Phoenician Scheme, Richard Linklater’s Nouvelle Verva and Thierry Cliffer, the world’s richest women.
Knobloch pointed to a new commitment to first showing a film in a film after a period when streaming was a higher priority. “What makes me feel safe is that there is a return to my belief in theater,” she said.
This year’s festival begins as the French film industry deals with its own late attempt to address the kind of #MeToo scandal that has already hit Hollywood.
Last month, a report by French politicians said sexual violence and harassment was “endrogenous” in the country’s entertainment industry. A Paris court will rule this month at the trial of French film star and Cannes veteran Gerard Despardou, who was accused of sexual assault. He denied the charges.
Knobloch, a former top executive at Warner, has recently been in office at a festival and is the first female president. She said the festival received recommendations from politicians’ reports but added that “there is still much work to do.”
Iris Knobloch said the strength of the festival is pointing to Anora’s global success, promoting films that would otherwise remain a niche, ©flixpix/alamy
“It’s really one of my priorities,” she said.
Many of last year’s films were about “the state of women in society,” she says, referring to Anora, Emilia Perez and material. There wasn’t much clear theme trend this year, she said, but the seven female directors of the main competition matched last year’s record numbers.
“As the first female president, I believe this is an important issue, that festivals must be taken seriously, and that festivals must continue to take seriously. In France, it happened later than in the US, but we must experience these moments to create this awareness for the next generation.”
She said despite widespread attacks on Donald Trump’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, there are no indications of change in how the film tackles social and cultural themes.
Knobloch pointed to the success of Zone of Interest, a film about the life of Auschwitz commander, which premiered in Cannes in 2023, highlighting the film’s power to convey an important message.
Zone of Interest studies the home life of Rudolf Hoss (Christian Friedel), Auschwitz’s real life commander ©TCD/PROD.DB/ALAMY
Knobloch’s mother, Charlotte Knobloch, is a Holocaust survivor and a prominent German Jewish community activist.
“Movies have always resisted any kind of political or other pressure,” she said. “Movies are extremely important in delivering a message. Filmmakers always tell their truth.”
During his stay at Warner, Knobloch brought the award-winning 2011 silent film “Artist” to the festival for its world premiere.
Some executives have warned that Cannes has lost some of its fame in recent years and risks being undermined by rival events in Venice and Toronto.
According to a former colleague, Knobloch, a former lawyer who worked throughout the entertainment sector, brought industry expertise and deep contacts.
She said the strength of film festivals such as Cannes promote films that would otherwise remain a niche, pointing to Anora’s global success. “You always need to worry about your relevance. How can you continue to attract the next generation? You bring the next generation.”
