A Shockwave Through Hollywood
When Donald Trump declared that “films not made in America will face 100% tariffs,” the statement reverberated through the global entertainment industry. What initially sounded like a protectionist campaign slogan has now evolved into a policy proposal with potentially devastating consequences for both Hollywood and the world’s film ecosystem.
The logic behind the proposal — to “bring production jobs back to America” — may seem straightforward. But the reality of modern filmmaking is anything but. Today, the majority of “American movies” are made outside of America. From Avengers: Age of Ultron (filmed in Seoul and London) to Mission: Impossible’s European sets, international co-productions and location shooting are now standard practice.
A blanket tariff on “foreign-made films” would thus strike at the heart of Hollywood’s own globalized infrastructure — punishing not foreign competitors, but its own studios.
The Paradox of Protectionism
The Trump administration’s proposal to tax films based on their production geography rather than corporate nationality introduces an unprecedented distortion in trade and culture.
Film, unlike steel or cars, is a borderless product of creativity — financed in Los Angeles, shot in Prague, animated in Seoul, scored in London, and streamed in New York.
Under the proposed rule, even a U.S.-funded film partially shot abroad could face tariffs simply because its cameras crossed an ocean.
For major studios, this means an abrupt 20–30% rise in production costs, forcing them to relocate shoots back to the U.S. and driving up domestic labor and studio fees. Independent filmmakers — already squeezed by budgets — would likely abandon international collaborations entirely.
Economists warn that, far from reviving American jobs, such a measure could trigger a reverse exodus, with global partners distancing themselves from Hollywood’s legal and financial volatility.
Collateral Damage for Global Cinema
The impact wouldn’t stop at the U.S. border.
For international filmmakers, the 100% tariff effectively doubles the cost of entry into the American market — historically the most lucrative and visible arena for world cinema.
Korean, French, and Japanese art films — often distributed by small U.S. companies — would become unviable overnight. Streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime, which rely heavily on global originals, would face complex import assessments for each title, likely passing costs on to subscribers.
“Cultural diversity on American screens could shrink dramatically,” says one European producer, “reversing decades of creative exchange.”
Legal and Diplomatic Fallout
Trade experts note that this kind of content-based tariff would almost certainly violate World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements on services and intellectual property. Several countries, including South Korea and France, have hinted at possible diplomatic retaliation.
France’s culture minister was blunt:
“Taxing art is not economic policy — it is an insult to civilization.”
Beyond legal disputes, the deeper consequence lies in trust. The global film industry thrives on co-financing, licensing, and distribution partnerships. A tariff barrier would poison that trust, making the U.S. an unpredictable collaborator.
Creativity Under Siege
Cinema has always transcended borders. Its language — light, movement, emotion — relies on freedom of exchange and collaboration.
If films become subjects of trade wars, the casualties will not be measured in box office losses alone, but in the erosion of shared imagination.
A protectionist wall built around Hollywood risks isolating it from the very creativity that sustains its influence. As one veteran director remarked:
“If art no longer crosses borders, neither will audiences.”
In an age when streaming has made the world one giant screen, Trump’s movie tariff proposal feels like an anachronism — a policy from the past aimed at an industry that exists everywhere and nowhere at once.
Illustration: ChangSoon — “Tariffs” (2025)
(Depicts a crumbling Hollywood building as Trump shouts into a microphone, unaware of the cracks forming behind him.)
SayArt.net
Jason Yim yimjongho1969@gmail.com
