By Seyi Babalola
US President Donald Trump has authorised the US Department of Commerce and Trade Representative to levy 100% tariffs on foreign films, citing a “concerted effort” by other countries to attract filmmakers and studios as the reason for the industry’s decline.
“It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda!” Trump said on his Truth Social platform. “WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!”
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick responded to the latest announcement, saying “We’re on it”.
But the details of the move are unclear. Trump’s statement did not say whether the tariff would apply to American production companies producing films abroad.
Several recent major movies produced by US studios were shot outside America, including Deadpool & Wolverine, Wicked and Gladiator II.
It was also unclear if the tariffs would apply to films on streaming services, like Netflix, as well as those shown at cinemas, or how they would be calculated.
The UK’s Department for Culture, Media & Sport, industry body the British Film Institute and the Motion Picture Association, which represents the five major US film studios, did not immediately respond to BBC requests for comment.
The governments of Australia and New Zealand have spoken out in support of their countries’ film industries.
“Nobody should be under any doubt that we will be standing up unequivocally for the rights of the Australian screen industry,” Australia’s home affairs minister Tony Burke said.
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