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.
