Disney's traditional Christmas film is making cinemas full and eyes sparkling all over the world.

In France he was awaited with great hopes.

This time especially: the leading European film country lost half of its cinema-goers in the pandemic, only 100 million admissions were booked in the past twelve months.

There is no sign of a trend reversal.

Disney, of all people, provided a ray of hope: since the beginning of May, three million have seen “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”.

But the new film "Strange World", which premieres worldwide before Christmas, will not be released in French cinemas.

It will only be available on TV and on computer: on Disney+.

As before, several less spectacular films.

Juerg Altwegg

Freelance writer in the feuilleton.

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This decision is a declaration of war on French cinemas and Parisian cultural policy.

Disney expressly justifies it with the strict rules of the "Chronologie des médias": If a film is shown in French cinemas, the next step is marketing it as a DVD or video on demand.

This is followed by broadcasting on pay-TV, finally on free-to-air TV and only then on the streaming platforms.

Last January, these requirements were relaxed slightly.

At that time, Disney stayed away from the negotiations, which were more of a dictate from the film industry.

To date, the blocking period for streaming services was 36 months - that's three years.

It was shortened to seventeen months.

That's still too long for Disney: it should be one year, not more.

Those responsible want to be able to show their films as quickly as the private or fee-financed TV stations show the works in whose production they are financially involved.

French film funding with subsidies, quotas and deadlines is complex.

The fact that Disney (like Netflix) has to invest 20 percent of its profits in France is a constant source of debate.

But nobody expected the defiance and protest action given the high loss of income that Disney is willing to accept.

The industry reacted violently, accusing the Americans of "blackmail": "Disney is robbing the French audience of its Christmas film." France supports and defends its film industry with a lot of money and a pinch of protectionism.

France's film industry is playing hypocritically as the victim of competition between television and platforms in this latest transatlantic conflict.

But she has a lot to lose.

The film marketing agenda no longer corresponds to viewer habits.

It is hoped that a compromise will be possible for the important weeks at the end of the year.

Disney just won't give in - even if a Christmas present turns out to be a gesture that attracts a great deal of attention to the public.

"It's not up to France to impose its rules on the Americans," say French experts.

They fear that Disney and subsequently Warner are flirting with the idea of ​​withdrawing their films completely from cinemas – not only in French cinemas in the long term.