Journalists, filmmakers, and the very essence of cinema are increasingly confronting political threats and mounting difficulties, a sentiment widely shared by film industry representatives at the recent Zurich Summit. During a pivotal discussion held at the Zurich Film Festival industry event, experts delved into the political turbulence engulfing the entertainment sector. Participants included Kathleen Fournier of Charlotte Street Films, producer of “The Six Billion Dollar Man”; David Unger, CEO of Artist International Group; Nathanaël Karmitz, chairman of Paris-based MK2; and Stephen Follows, a renowned film data researcher and consultant for Guinness World Records.

Fournier offered a stark illustration of the challenging environment, recounting her experience producing Eugene Jarecki’s documentary, “The Six Billion Dollar Man,” which screened at the festival. She highlighted the “substantial risk” involved for her and her team, detailing the decision to relocate the entire production and editing operations, along with her family, to Berlin. This move was prompted by concerns over legal frameworks in the U.K. and U.S. that could allow footage seizure, noting that journalists receive greater protection in Germany. However, even Germany proved fallible, as Fournier observed the erosion of civic-mindedness and journalistic challenges in real-time following events in Gaza. She emphasized the critical need for mechanisms to safeguard journalists, a core theme of their film.

The discussion also touched upon the significant shifts in the media landscape, particularly how the rise of streaming platforms has impacted the viability of certain documentary genres. Fournier explained that while accolades like Emmys and Sundance Grand Jury prizes once guaranteed film production, the landscape has changed. Political, nuanced, difficult, or subjective documentaries often struggle to make the leap to streaming platforms, which tend to favor historical narratives, true crime, or highly personal stories. “The Six Billion Dollar Man,” despite winning the Golden Eye Special Jury Prize at Cannes and receiving a “phenomenal” screening in Zurich, has yet to secure a U.S. distributor. This is largely due to its challenging content, which delves into topics like Trump and the “deep state,” backed by extensive research from various court cases.

Stephen Follows delivered a sharp critique of the industry, branding it as “risk averse, scared and cowardly.” He argued that contemporary companies lack the courage evident in the 1970s, which fostered braver, more diverse, and interesting storytelling. Follows suggested that without proactive “agitators,” the industry tends to act detrimentally, citing the Me Too movement as an example where self-policing failed. Nathanaël Karmitz acknowledged the perennial link between politics and cinema but stressed that the current context is unique because “culture is under attack and cinema is under attack.” He pointed to a disturbing trend where far-right accounts on social media platform X systematically target French movies, effectively becoming the dominant voice in cinema discussions. Karmitz questioned how the industry should organize to counter this, highlighting contentious reactions to MK2’s cinema events and legal challenges faced by the CNC national film center and national television in France.

Conversely, David Unger expressed optimism for future improvements, drawing parallels to the past where films by Charlie Chaplin and Stanley Kramer, such as Kramer’s 1967 classic “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” were once highly controversial but are now accepted. Unger underscored the vital importance of open dialogues like the Zurich Summit discussion, asserting that such conversations compel industry stakeholders to examine the current state of the business and collectively work towards shaping its future.