Trump's tariffs for films that are produced outside the USA create confusion

President Donald Trump's plan to enforce 100% tariff for foreign films met with shock and unbelief in the European film industry.

It was unclear how the levies that were announced on the weekend on social media are enforced and which productions are most susceptible to tariffs. However, there are widespread concerns that Trump's recent steps can build up a global film business on a network of international incentives and foreign locations to produce films and potentially decimate a global film business.

Currently, in countries such as Great Britain, France, Germany and Hungary from low-budget islands to studio blockbusters. Even Mel Gibson, one of the three Hollywood ambassadors appointed by Trump (the other two are Sylvester Stallone and Jon Voight), is currently planning to shoot his continuation of “Passion of the Christ” in Italy.

The reaction in Great Britain, where so many US films are made, was the most vitriolic.

“That makes no sense,” said a British producer. “It implies that a US film should make in the USA, but the” Harry Potter “films,” Lord of the Rings “,” Schindler's list “,” Mission Impossible “,” Gladiator “,” Aviator “and so many more are US films that were made for obvious reasons. These films have to shoot in the USA in the USA.”

Another British producer said: “Unemployed Americans also say that these are nuts – these are people who really broke their career due to production to Europe.”

Echoes another producer based in London: “If this is the distance, it will decimate the industry. But you can't just stop production,” he said. “When does it come into force? What about films in pre -production, recording or in the post? Would you just double your costs. None of it was thought through. I think the calm answer is: let's see what this means, let us see the small print.”

Production in the United States has dropped by 40% after Hollywood strikes with the actors and screenwriters, and some important films, including the next “Avengers” films, have deciphered for Great Britain and other European cities. Incentives are partly responsible for the move, although many states such as Georgia and New York offer generous film financing packages that keep up with those of other countries. Hollywood -Lobby weapons such as the Motion Picture Association have argued that the United States needed federal fil -. Trump seems to have decided to use tariffs as a stick.

Sources say that Voight and his manager Steven Paul have organized meetings with various guilds in the hope of receiving further information about the production state to advise the president about the revival of filming in the USA

On Sunday, Trump's embassy in Hollywood was passed on as managers joined the emergency meeting to try to understand a proposal that is still understood weakly.

Before the news from Trump's plan was canceled, Gaeten feared Bruel, who was recently appointed President of the French National Film Board and previously directed French cultural services in the United States, fears that the Trump government would start to get involved in the cinema and the audiovisual media, and argued that “everyone would lose the US industry himself.”

“Europe and France in particular are important markets for American works”, which according to it, he makes up about 60% of the content that people in Europe consume.

Another important figure in France, which heads a top festival, said: “Technically speaking, films are services on which you cannot impose tariffs on. It could end in court and take months.” While a producer who delivers French blockbusters for whom the United States is a key market said: “We do not sell goods, we sell a service, so I do not see how it could be taxable. It is difficult to know what we are talking about at this stage. It is still very vague and trumps can change every day.” “

In Italy, Rome's Cinecittà Studios, who organized Gibson's shoot “The Resurrection of Christ” in September, reacted diplomatically.

“We are watching the movements of an important market like the USA with the greatest attention,” said Manuela Cacciamani, CEO of Cinecittà. “We are convinced that in particular in the cultural industry – and the audiovisual sector is in the foreground – the exchange between the countries must be as mutual and circular as possible.”

“We know how many American productions benefit from our tax incentives, and especially from this ecosystem for beauty, places, climate, culture, style, knowledge for which you have always selected Italy for quality that cannot be found elsewhere,” Cacciamani continues.

Others stand back to see whether Trump is going through with his threats after producing a barrage of headlines.

“We just have to wait and see what Trump's next step is. It's like in chess. We don't know where it will go,” said Marco Valerio Pugini, an Italian line producer who spoke from Ridley Scott's post-apocalyptic thriller “The Dog Stars”. ”

“The entertainment industry is a global village,” added Pugini and found that he just made a Korean show that will take place on Netflix. “It's a bit complicated.”

“But I think the US studios will continue to shoot abroad if they want exotic places. They won't start shooting James Bond in Detroit,” he noted.

Managers and filmmakers who make a living in the Middle East are also concerned about what the tariffs could mean for their business. “The entire global production service industry is affected,” said the global media consultant Hans Fraikin, former head of the Abu Dhabi film commission and founding commissioner of the Quebec Film and TV Council.

“You just don't know what way to go,” he added. “I work with a state in India that works on designing and building a film studio city with sound stations. Obviously, they count heavily on Hollywood productions. I have not yet spoken to them. But how will they react?”

According to Fraikin, the effects of Trump's tariffs in the United States could be devastating that it is skeptical that the additional costs that would go hand in hand with the move of all shootings to domestic locations would significantly increase jobs in the long run. “Ultimately, it will only make the studios to use the AI ​​much more difficult,” he argued.

In the indie film area, the sales staff choose to see Trump's explanations as a further tantrum. “We should wait and see if it is true that these tariffs are used when they are applied and how they are used. There is still no date of getting into force for the implementation of these tariffs, and there are still specific regulations,” said a prominent sales agent in Madrid. He added that “American companies could be the largest losers in this trade war because the sale of American films in Europe is a major percentage.”

The agent continued that the countries when the countries react by imposing a 100% mutual tariff for productions that shoot in the USA could mean the end result that they turn away from Hollywood films. “European distributors can increase their share of European films as well as the production and exploitation of local content,” argued the agent.

In the Czech Republic, the film commissioner Pavlína Žipková said that the international nature of the movement, which is based on foreign locations and talents as well as subsidies, has strengthened cultural bonds.

“Consider the rich tradition of the US studios in Europe since the 1950s, which has always been enriched for both sides of the ocean,” said Žipková. “[Trump’s] The statement raises more questions than answers. ”

But how many members of the European film business is preparing Žipková for Cannes, which serves as the center for film sales, as well as an opportunity to combine with colleagues from the USA and other major markets.

“We don't slow down,” said Žipková.

Jamie Lang, Naman Ramacandran and Leo Barraclough contributed to this report.