CICAE slams Berlin Film Festival authorities for including Netflix movies

The International Confederation of Art Cinemas (CICAE), which represents art house cinemas across Europe, has criticised the Berlin International Film Festival for including Netflix film "Elisa and Marcela" in its competition line-up. In an open letter to Berlinale's festival director Dieter Kosslick and German culture minister Monika Grutters, it said being a public-funded festival the Berlinale should reserve its competition slots exclusively for films that will have a theatrical release and not web portals like Netflix, reports hollywoodreporter.com.

"As the declared business model of Netflix is the exclusive exhibition of films and series on its own portal, Netflix endangers the structures of cinemas as places of culture and the cultural diversity of the film market," the group said. The CICAE said the Berlinale must ban Netflix movies from its competition line-up or risk undermining its position as a cinematic showcase.

Detlef Rossmann, CICAE president, said: "Either the Berlinale is a film festival and shows only works destined for the cinema or it's not a film festival anymore." The 2019 Berlin International Film Festival, which began on February 7, will conclude here on Sunday.

(With inputs from agencies.)