Wes Anderson Comments on Trump’s Film Tariffs at Cannes

Wes Anderson, the acclaimed director, shared his thoughts about the tariffs on foreign films proposed by Donald Trump during a press conference at the Cannes Film Festival. The 56-year-old director was accompanied by actors Benicio del Toro and Mia Srepton as they promoted their upcoming films, including Phoenician Scheme.

Anderson’s reaction was lively. “The tariffs are attractive. 100% tariffs? I’ve never heard of that before,” he remarked, clearly skeptical about the idea. He pondered the implications, asking, “Doesn’t that mean he’s taking all the money? Then, what do we get?” It was evident he found the concept baffling.

He went on to express his confusion about how such tariffs would even be implemented. “That’s complicated for me. Also, how do you even lift a film at customs? It won’t ship that way,” he joked, receiving laughter from his fellow actors.

It seems Anderson is right to not claim expertise in economics, especially given that his latest film aims to satirize capitalism. Trump’s tariff scheme, which was announced in early May, has not yet been acted upon, yet it has generated considerable debate within the international film community, especially in Hollywood. This year’s Cannes was a focal point for discussions around the proposal.

Scott Jones, head of Artist View Entertainment, expressed strong opposition, stating, “We don’t see any profit in what he’s trying to do, and it could really hurt us.” Louise Lantagne, from the Canadian film group Quebecreatif, also remarked, “It’s going to be chaos if this happens. For now, it’s just a tweet, but everyone is stressed by these declarations.”

Richard Linklater, director of nouvelle vote, also criticized the idea, suggesting that Trump isn’t serious about it. “That won’t happen. The man changes his mind constantly. Film is our number one export,” he said.