The complicated relationship between Netflix and Cannes has made it damn-near impossible for the streaming giant’s films to screen on the Croisette the last 5 years. Some of the many Netflix films that could have easily premiered at Cannes these last few years include Oscar winners “Roma,” “Marriage Story,” and “The Power of the Dog.”
This year has been another missed opportunity with Thierry Fremaux having to pass up the chance to world premiere Noah Baumbach’s “White Noise,” and, most intriguingly of all, Andrew Dominik’s “Blonde.”
The latter is the Marilyn Monroe biopic that was stamped with an NC-17 rating a few months ago. The film comes with a lot of controversy, most of which involves Dominik fighting for final cut with Netflix. The filmmaker ultimately won the battle, despite Netflix hiring an editor to “tighten” the film.
Regardless, a big fan of the film is Cannes boss Fremaux, who hasn’t been shy in praising “Blonde” more than a few times. He did it again this afternoon when interviewed by Variety, going as far as to say that it would have absolutely made it into the official competition if Netflix had allowed it to go to the Croisette:
“What’s Netflix’s big film this year? It’s “Blonde,” by Andrew Dominik. It’s a wonderful film which deserves the competition. So I do understand Netflix when they say they don’t want to be out of competition.”
Back in June of 2021, Fremaux had reiterated his love for Dominik’s film and the frustration of not having it at Cannes:
“Andrew Dominik’s film [‘Blonde’] could have been ready — it’s beautiful, I saw it — and I invited those films Out of Competition. Netflix doesn’t want to come to Cannes, but I invited them anyway and alas…It’s important, it’s not us refusing Netflix movies, it’s Netflix who doesn’t want or can’t…They want to come in Competition but films that are part of the Competition must be released (theatrically) in France.”
The one and only time Netflix premiered its films in competition at Cannes was in 2017 when they had Noah Baumbach’s “The Meyerowitz Stories” and Bong Joon Ho’s “Okja” vying for the Palme d’Or. I was there, boos could be heard from the French-heavy crowd when the Netflix logo appeared on-screen.
Having an insurance director is not uncommon in Hollywood. Aging filmmakers, in case a health issue arises, sometimes need to have one. It seems like that’s what might have occurred on “What Happens at Night.”