Netflix’s ‘Okja’ Booed at Press Screening in Cannes

The early morning press screening of the Netflix film “Okja” was interrupted by boos and angry applause in the Palais des Festivals on Friday at the Cannes Film Festival in France.

The streaming service has divided film professionals at the festival, though it was unclear if the boos were because of a technical problem or because some oppose Netflix and Amazon being in competition, since their films debut on small screens rather than in theaters.

Update: A spokeswoman for the festival said a “mechanical problem” had interrupted the screening but was not more specific.

The screening of the movie, a competition entry directed by Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho, was stopped after 10 minutes, according to TheWrap’s Steve Pond who was present. The Netflix logo was booed, and then a large group mostly in balcony seats booed, hooted, and did rhythmic clapping through the opening scene, forcing the festival to stop the screening.

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The screening continued after the interruption. It was not entirely clear that the boos were in protest of Netflix, but they came as the Netflix logo appeared on screen and into the opening scene of the film, which stars Tilda Swinton.

Cannes audiences are notoriously opinionated and often show their reactions at screenings.

Netflix has two films in competition, “Okja” and “The Meyerowitz Stories.” French exhibitors are angry that the festival accepted films that do not have a theatrical release first, and consider Netflix a threat to the established order of large-screen filmgoing.

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The issue has even divided the Cannes jury. Jury President Pedro Almodovar seemed to rule out voting for either of the Netflix films at the opening press conference for the festival this week, while another jury member, Will Smith, defended streaming movies.