[Source/Observer Network Xiong Chaoyi] After using the "tariff stick" to restrict imported goods, U.S. President Trump recently played the same trick in the service trade sector's film industry, announcing a 100% tariff on all films produced overseas.

According to POLITICO EU, which reports from Europe, when this news broke, a complex mix of confusion and expected emotions spread across the Atlantic. European filmmakers are on high alert, fearing that their industry may become the next target in Trump's trade war.

"We feel that (films) might become a battlefield in the trade war. We are entering an unpredictable era," said Pascal Rogard, chairman of the French Dramatists and Composers Association (SACD). "This violates international commitments."

"Driving European cinema out of the American market is a dangerous move towards cultural isolationism," said Nela Riehl, a German Green Party member who serves as chairwoman of the European Parliament's Culture Committee. "Protectionism in this industry will only encourage other regions to take retaliatory actions, as we have already seen from China."

Cannes Film Festival official website image

On May 4th local time, Trump posted a message on social media stating that he authorized the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to immediately initiate procedures to impose a 100% tariff on all films entering the United States that were made abroad.

He claimed that America's film industry was rapidly dying, with other countries offering various incentives to attract American filmmakers and studios away from the United States. "Hollywood and many other sectors of the United States are being hit hard. This is an action jointly planned by other countries and poses a threat to national security."

Although the criteria for defining what constitutes "made abroad" remain unclear and controversial, a French insider said: "This political gesture aligns with our expectations." Another anonymous person interviewed by POLITICO EU said: "Everyone is trying to figure out its meaning or possible meanings."

In addition, others have sharply criticized the potential damage Trump's move could cause to the industry.

Lawrence Farreng, a member of the European Parliament's centrist Renew Europe group, warned: "Tariffs will ultimately punish the U.S. industry." She revealed that a group of members from the European Parliament's Culture Committee would visit Los Angeles at the end of May to meet with American filmmakers.

According to a Reuters report on May 5th, the White House has not yet disclosed the legal basis for this measure or the details of how it will be implemented. Kush Desai, deputy press secretary of the White House, stated on the same day that the Trump administration had not yet made any final decisions regarding foreign film tariffs but was exploring all options to fulfill President Trump's instructions to "make Hollywood great again" while protecting the nation's national and economic security.

In addition, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative did not immediately comment. U.S. Commerce Secretary Lutnik simply responded: "We are handling it."

POLITICO EU also pointed out that the Trump administration has not yet explained how the tariffs involving films will operate and what their exact targets are. A White House official who did not want to reveal internal process details said: "(The) Department of Commerce is addressing this issue, possibly involving areas like film copyrights." The official also revealed that a special study would be launched later.

However, some U.S. experts have pointed out that, according to the "Berman Amendment" enacted in 1988, the film industry originally enjoyed tariff exemptions. The report suggests that, regardless of the form in which the new tariff eventually lands, it may become one of the bargaining chips in the ongoing trade standoff between the U.S. and the EU.

Official photo of Trump-appointed "Hollywood Ambassador": From left to right, Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone, and Jon Voight

According to the content of Trump's social media post, he mentioned that America's film industry is "rapidly dying." Data shows that the number of days for filming in Los Angeles has decreased from 3,901 days in 2017 to 2,403 days in 2024, a reduction of 38%, highlighting the continued decline in its global influence.

In fact, as early as February 21st, in the White House memorandum released, Trump had hinted at his intentions toward the film and television industries. At that time, he blasted the EU's media regulations for "forcing American streaming platforms to fund local productions," directly targeting the EU's Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD), which allows EU member states to impose investment obligations on streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+ to support the production of European works.

As the 78th Cannes International Film Festival is set to open next week in France, Trump's latest controversial move may become a focal point. Filmmakers from the French Filmmakers Association (ARP) are ready to express their opinions.

"I will attend the Cannes Film Festival, and I believe this topic will keep producers very busy. It will be very interesting to hear whether they can survive after leaving the European market. Without a doubt, they will push things forward, just like manufacturers in other American industries do," Farreng said.

"For now, this is just a statement from Trump," Riehl said: "The EU is already working to provide more opportunities and visibility for the localization and globalization of European cinema. This 'more Europe' approach will now be our direction forward."

Trump's move targeting the film industry has come as a shock to the American Hollywood film industry. While the specifics of the tariff policy remain unclear, Hollywood insiders held emergency meetings overnight to try to understand how the policy will be implemented and what the specific tax standards will be. Some questioned whether Trump needs to clearly define what constitutes an "American film" before issuing the policy.

According to reports by Reuters, Bloomberg, and other media outlets on May 4th, in recent years, to reduce costs, many major Hollywood films have begun shooting and producing outside the United States. Currently, the main overseas filming locations for Hollywood—such as the UK, Australia, and New Zealand—have responded accordingly.

U.S. media cited analysis suggesting that the Hollywood film industry has not yet recovered from the pandemic and wildfires, and this move would be another blow to an already severely weakened industry. A scholar from Hong Kong, China, said that the U.S. imports few films from abroad, so Trump's move targets more the American film industry itself. Some U.S. analysts reminded that if other countries retaliate, "this will strangle our film industry, and we will suffer more than we gain."

This article is an exclusive contribution by Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7501187393841431040/

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