Cannes International Film Festival staff apologized after Bong Joon-ho’s controversial movie « Okja » started playing in the wrong aspect ratio.
May 19 (UPI) — Netflix film Okja was booed Friday following a technical glitch at its Cannes premiere.
Cannes International Film Festival staff apologized after the controversial Bong Joon-ho movie started playing in the wrong aspect ratio, according to The Guardian .
« This incident is completely due to the technical staff of the festival, who deeply apologize to the director and his team, to the producers as well as to the audience, » the festival said in a statement.
The BBC reported Okja was initially booed after the Netflix logo appeared at the beginning of the movie, and again when the film « was stopped and restarted without explanation. » Okja has proved controversial since Netflix refuses to screen it in French theaters.
« There was shouting from the upper seats and it became apparent the aspect ratio was wrong, » so they restarted it after about 10 minutes, » BBC reporter Lauren Turner said.
« The second time around the audience booed the Netflix logo again. But there was also some cheering at the same time and a warm round of applause at the end, » she added.
Okja star Tilda Swinton responded at a press conference Friday after French filmgoers objected to the film and fellow Netflix movie The Meyerowitz Stories competing at Cannes without a theatrical release.
« Let’s be honest, these are thousands of films at Cannes that won’t be screened in cinema, » the actress said. « It’s an enormous and really interesting conversation. As in every matter there is room for everyone. »
Okja, which stars Swinton, Ahn Seo-hyun, Paul Dano, Jake Gyllenhaal and Lily Collins, premieres June 28 on Netflix. The film released a first full-length trailer this week.
