‘Nonsensical’ Trump foreign-film tariffs shock Hollywood, countries where US makes movies

Hollywood reacted with scepticism to US President Donald Trump’s announcement of 100 per cent tariffs on foreign films, with movie insiders calling it a policy made up on the fly by a president who fails to understand how the industry works.

“It makes no sense,” entertainment lawyer Jonathan Handel said of Trump’s idea.

Meanwhile, a British agent, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the specialist website Screen Daily: “It sounds potentially disastrous for the international film industry.”

And the Canadian Media Producers Association said: “The proposed actions outlined in US President Donald Trump’s announcement will cause significant disruption and economic hardship to the media production sectors on both sides of the Canada-US border.” Hollywood films and major US television productions are regularly filmed in Canada.

Handel explained that many US productions, from James Bond films to the “Mission Impossible” franchise, are filmed abroad for obvious creative reasons.

“If the stunt is Tom Cruise climbing up the Eiffel Tower, what are we supposed to do, shoot at the replica Eiffel Tower in Las Vegas?” Handel said. “I mean, it’s just nonsensical.”