iWorld
Netflix pulls out of Cannes Film Festival
MUMBAI: Putting an end to speculation, Netflix has confirmed that it would pull out of the Cannes Film Festival entirely. The streaming giant won’t bring any film to the esteemed film festival following a rule change. In an interview with Variety, the company’s chief content officer, Ted Sarandos, spoke about the decision.
Last year, Netflix came to the festival with two movies Bong Joon-ho’s Okja and Noah Baumbach’s The Meyerowitz Stories. French theatre owners did not take it very well and protested the inclusion of these movies as the law in the country requires movies to not appear in home platforms for 36 months after their theatrical release. The rule is contradictory to Netflix’s day-on-date release.
In addition to that, a new rule from this year imposes a ban on any film in the competition without theatrical distribution in France from playing. Though Netflix could screen films out of competition, Sarandos says that doesn’t make sense for the company.
“There’s a risk in us going in this way and having our films and filmmakers treated disrespectfully at the festival. They’ve set the tone. I don’t think it would be good for us to be there,” he said. He also said that the new rule was implicitly about Netflix.
“We loved the festival. We love the experience for our filmmakers and for film lovers. It’s just that the festival has chosen to celebrate distribution rather than the art of cinema,” he added later.
Though Sarandos himself won’t attend the festivals, some employees from the company will be there to acquire films among the bunch that would be there without distribution.
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iWorld
Prime Video unveils biggest India originals slate yet
Nearly 55 titles across languages signal deeper push into films, series
MUMBAI: Prime Video is turning up the volume on Indian storytelling, unveiling its largest-ever Originals slate at the ‘Prime Video Presents’ showcase, with close to 55 series and films spanning languages, genres and formats.
The new lineup, which stretches across Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, signals a clear intent: go bigger, go wider, and meet audiences wherever they are watching, whether on streaming screens or in cinemas. Alongside Originals, the platform also announced a fresh theatrical slate under Amazon MGM Studios, marking a deeper step into the big-screen business.
Among the headline acts is The Revolutionaries, a large-scale drama from Nikkhil Advani starring Bhuvan Bam and Rohit Saraf. The slate also features Matka King with Vijay Varma, Raakh starring Ali Fazal and Sonali Bendre, and Lukkhe, which marks rapper King’s acting debut. Adding a genre twist is Vansh – The Kalyug Warriors, positioned as India’s first homegrown Hindi superhero series for streaming.
Familiar favourites are also making a return, with new seasons of Farzi, Panchayat, Call Me Bae, Dupahiya, Dahaad and The Traitors in the pipeline, reinforcing the platform’s bet on established franchises.
Regional storytelling gets a notable push. Highlights include a Telugu adaptation of The Traitors hosted by Teja Sajja, the drama Guvvala Cheruvu Ghat, and Tamil titles such as Exam and returning seasons of Vadhandhi and Inspector Rishi.
The slate also opens new creative partnerships. Hrithik Roshan’s HRX Films steps into streaming with Storm and Mess, while Alia Bhatt’s Eternal Sunshine Productions backs Don’t Be Shy. Production houses including Excel Entertainment, Tiger Baby Films and The Viral Fever further deepen the creative bench.
On the theatrical front, the platform is lining up five films, including Raftaar starring Rajkummar Rao and Keerthy Suresh, VIBE directed by Kunal Kemmu, Dilkashi with music by A. R. Rahman, Nayyi Navelli featuring Yami Gautam, and Kuku Ki Kundli starring Wamiqa Gabbi.
According to Prime Video India director and head of Svod business Shilangi Mukherji, India remains central to the platform’s global growth, ranking among its top markets for new subscribers. She noted that nearly two-thirds of users watch content in more than four languages, underlining a growing appetite for diverse storytelling.
Prime Video India director and head of originals Nikhil Madhok, said the new slate reflects a continued push towards bold, culturally rooted narratives with global appeal.
In short, Prime Video is not just adding titles, it is widening the lens. From small-town dramas to superhero sagas and cinema-ready spectacles, the message is simple: more stories, more voices, and far more ways to watch them.
