Marion Cotillard weighs in on the Netflix Cannes debate
In the battle between French theater owners and Netflix at the Cannes Film Festival, Marion Cotillard is sticking with her home team.
When pressed about the issue -- which divided jury members Will Smith and Pedro Almodovar -- Cotillard expressed concern about what the streaming revolution could mean for the communal experience of the cinema.
"The energy that you have in a movie theater when a movie is shared, whether it's laughter or emotion, is priceless. It is something that should be cherished," Cotillard told Vanity Fair. "But at the same time, those [Netflix] movies are an artistic expression. I just hope it won't spread too much."
"The movie theater is something important, and it creates this very strong energy that is impossible when you are alone in front of your computer. I'm not sure people will watch those movies together. I don't think it will happen," she explained. "It's another step in separating people from each other, and I think it's sad."
On Friday, Netflix debuted its first of two Cannes entries, Bong Joon Ho's "Okja," though the screening got off to a rocky start due to a projection issue and audience members booing as the Netflix logo flashed on the screen, according to reports. Despite those hiccups, the film itself has so far received favorable reviews.