In an unprecedented move for a major streamer in France, Apple has released Steve McQueen’s wartime drama Blitz for a rapid-fire two-day theatrical run on November 9 and 10 before its global release, including in France, on Apple TV+ on November 22.
Apple obtained an “exceptional visa” from the CNC for a maximum of 500 screenings over a two-day period in French cinemas.that allows films to bypass the country’s strict media chronology course.
Blitz will not now have to wait the mandated 17 months currently required between a film’s theatrical release and streaming launch per France’s existing windowing laws.
The film was released with little fanfare for just under 50 screenings and at predominately arthouse cinemas. It sold 1,700 tickets (a gross of approximately €12,500) during its weekend run, according to Comscore.
In France, films released theatrically must respect a precise timetable and can be released after four months on TVoD, six months on Canal+, 15 months on Netflix and 17 months on other streamers like Prime Video, Max and Disney+.
Three types of “exceptional visas” at the CNC exist that allow films to circumvent the current windowing system: the two-day 500-screening visa; one that allows films to screen 30 times (100 for documentaries) for an unlimited time period; and one for a live performance or cultural event for an unlimited number of screenings over five years.
The CNC confirmed to Screen the exceptional visas represent such a marginal percentage of releases, with no abuse of them, that there is no need for concern that France’s windowing rules are about to be upended. To date, films receiving a temporary visa represent just 0.07% of total screenings and 0.15% of moviegoers for the 2022-2023 period. Twenty-six films received temporary visa in 2022 and 13 in 2023.
The CNC said it is remaining “vigilant” and if the body does see any company repeatedly release their event films continuously for two-day, 500 screening runs to the degradation of other title on releasem it will adjust the criteria accordingly. For the time being, it views the temporary visas as welcome visibility to draw crowds to cinemas who then return for other titles after seeing posters and trailers.
Apple declined Screen’s request for comment.
The new normal?
Apple’s move could see other streamers follow, despite the fact a two-day run in local cinemas would not likely be a major financial boost for the titles, but could give the films more exposure and media coverage moving forward.
Disney released animated titles Luca and Turning Red retroactively using temporary visas after the films were released directly on Disney+ during the Covid-19 cinema lockdowns. It released Turning Red in February of this year and Luca in April, both for Saturday showings on 500 screens during French school holidays. Disney rocked the system by opting to release Strange World directly on Disney+ in 2022, bypassing theatres altogether and raising fears this might be the studio’s strategy going forward. But it has since continued to release major titles in cinemas, including 2024’s Inside Out 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine and will release Moana 2 and Mufasa: The Lion King in cinemas later this year.
Apple has not announced plans for its upcoming releases. Joseph Kosinski’s racing movie F1 starring Brad Pitt is slated for a theatrical release in France via Warner Bros. in Junef 2025.
For its part, Netflix will release Malcolm Washington’s The Piano Lesson directly on its platform on November 22 in France and Tyler Perry’s Six Triple Eight on December 20.
Apple has previously opted for theatrical releases for its films. Martin Scorsese’s Killers Of The Flower Moon that sold some 1.3m admissions for Paramount in October of last year and Ridley Scott’s Napoleon in November with 1.7m tickets for Sony. Both films will only start streaming on Apple TV+ in spring 2025. In September, Apple shifted course and sent Jon Watts’ George Clooney-Brad Pitt action-comedy Wolfs straight to streaming despite previously announcing it would be released by Sony in the territory following its Venice premiere.
“Useful”
Blitz made its world premiere as the opening-night film of BFI London Film Festival on October 9. It had its North American premiere at the New York Film Festival on October 10 before opening in select theatres in both markets on November 1 ahead of its global streaming release on November 22.
mk2 also released McQueen’s four-hour World War II documentary Occupied City in French cinemas in April with a temporary visa via its alternative programming division mk2.Alt part of its mk2 Cine-Club collaboration with YouTube launched in January that sold just under 1,000 tickets according to Comscore.
Another mk2 documentary release with a temporary visa ignited fierce debate within the local industry, namely Kaizen: 1 Year To Climb Everest!, in September. The film from French YouTube star Inoxtag was a major success during its limited run with 368,000 tickets sold in 24 hours even though it streamed for free on YouTube the following day, but unleashed furious backlash from the local industry – and a potential fine - when it ended up being a victim of its unexpected success and playing on nearly double the allotted allowance of screens.
At the time, Olivier Henrard, managing director and acting president of the CNC, said at an exhibitors conference in Deauville such exceptional visas are “very useful and adapted to our times” but that “sanctions need to be dissuasive enough” so that both local distributors and US streamers cannot abuse the system.
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