Netflix booted from Cannes Film Festival competition
Following a ruling made after last year's festival, Netflix Original films are barred from competing for prizes at the 2018 awards.
Netflix made its Cannes Film Festival competition debut last year, but it could be a one-and-done deal for the streamer.
Netflix is barred from entering the race for the Palme d'Or (Golden Palm), which is the highest prize a film can win at Cannes, according to The Hollywood Reporter. It was implied, though not clearly stated, that the company's films would be ineligible for the festival's other awards, too.
Neither Netflix nor Cannes immediately responded to a request for comment.
The justification for the ban is that Netflix doesn't release its Originals in theatres, only on its own streaming service. This was a ruling originally made last year, after two Netflix films, "The Meyerowitz Stories" and "Okja," sparked outrage among festival-goers after being allowed to compete despite not getting theatrical runs in France.
"Last year, when we selected these two films, I thought I could convince Netflix to release them in cinemas," Theirry Fremaux, head of the film festival, told Hollywood Reporter. "I was presumptuous. They refused."
Famed director Steven Spielberg recently cited similar reasons when saying Netflix shouldn't be eligible for Oscars.
Not all is lost for Netflix though, as the streaming service will still be able to show its movies at Cannes.