This year’s Cannes Film Festival had fewer stars, fewer breakout movies and a dearth of studio blockbusters, making it one of the most muted editions in recent history. But even though the red carpets suffered from a lack of Hollywood glamour, the festival provided a fascinating snapshot of the challenges facing the entertainment industry. As Cannes reaches its less-than-memorable midpoint, here are four takeaways from a celebration of cinema that didn’t have so much to celebrate.
Who’s Afraid of AI?
Not Demi Moore! The “Substance” star and jury member made headlines at a press conference for urging filmmakers to find ways to “work with” AI, insisting that fighting it is “a battle that we will lose.” Her comments ignited a social media firestorm. But Moore wasn’t alone. Both the festival and the market overflowed with movies from the likes of Steven Soderbergh and Doug Liman that used AI to lower costs and help put their fantastical visions on-screen. AI has been so controversial for so long — it was a sticking point in the 2023 actors and writers strikes — that companies have been nervous about publicly embracing it, even though it’s already transformed everything from movie marketing to postproduction work. At Cannes, they stopped trying to hide. If the critics are right, and the technology turns Hollywood into more of an assembly line for derivative, soulless cash grabs, the same people urging the business to accept AI may regret not putting up a fight. That’s assuming they still have a job.
