Nicolas Winding Refn declares war on streaming services

Nicolas Winding Refn is open in arms against the streaming services, noting they have “saturated everything and “devalued movies to just a swipe.”

Expressing his views at the Venice Film Festival amid a tribute to Ruggero Deodato, the Drive filmmaker said, “It’s incredibly sad and terrifying because art is essentially the only thing — besides, you know, sex, water, and happiness — that makes us exist,” adding that streamers have been “overfunded and rotten with money and cocaine” for years.

Previously worked for both Netflix and Prime Video, the 52-year-old urged the audiences to “fight” to save Hollywood.

“Even though I projected it was dead a few years ago, it has changed into something we have to fight for,” he continued.

“Theatrical movies are part of what makes us human and experience creativity. … AI is not an artist. AI is a product.”