As a seasoned moviegoer with a passion for international cinema and politics, I found the events of Tuesday night at the American Film Market in Las Vegas to be both disheartening and eye-opening. The stark contrast between the historic election taking place just miles away and the indifference shown by many attendees was palpable.


Despite Tuesday marking one of the most significant news days in years for the U.S. (and possibly the world), attendees at the American Film Market in Las Vegas might have been unaware that a presidential election was even happening.

Although Nevada is a crucial battleground state during elections, screens throughout the city’s casinos and bars on Tuesday night predominantly displayed sports, leaving bewildered tourists struggling to find a place to monitor the election results. Interestingly, attendees of AFM stood out among the rest of Las Vegas crowd: they were the only ones fixated on their phones, looking perplexed as red spread across the U.S. map.

As a movie enthusiast, I wouldn’t bet on any screens playing the election broadcast here, as we aim to keep things casual and void of political tension. It doesn’t take long for a peaceful environment to turn heated when politics are involved – just ask anyone who’s been in a bar recently after mentioning the election. And sure enough, within seconds of bringing up the topic, one patron was already vocalizing her strong dislike towards Kamala Harris.

It was the worry of a fight that actually kept many executives from the U.S. and overseas away from this year’s AFM, especially over concerns of a violent uprising should Harris have won. When Trump lost in 2020, his supporters attacked the U.S. Capital on Jan. 6, 2021.

This time, that wasn’t a concern: Trump won the election by a landslide.

One attendee at AFM remarked, ‘Now you can say you were in Vegas when the largest wild card suddenly paused U.S. democracy,’ reflecting a sense of solemnity that pervaded the film market the following day. Many seemed to express shock or disbelief, with phrases like ‘I can’t believe it!’ being frequently heard.

One American distributor shared that he observed the U.S. election along with several foreign business leaders, and there was a palpable sense of dismay among them all.

It’s clear from our conversation last night that for many regions around the globe, America has historically symbolized an ideal culturally for a long time,” he noted. However, while Europe has been shifting towards right-wing extremism over the past decade with countries like Italy, Poland, France, and others seeing the rise of populist parties, America was often seen as a safe haven from political chaos. This perspective changed significantly after Trump’s first election in 2016. His re-election has further eroded this image.

Another participant at the AFM remarked, “It’s a wake-up call. The fact that the Republicans secured both the popular vote and the electoral college suggests that this is the path the nation appears to prefer.

But how could Trump’s second term impact popular culture?

As a movie critic, I can attest that this new distribution trend might not significantly impact the independent, niche film industry, as its productions often don’t resonate directly with Trump supporters. However, for studio films, it’s an entirely different scenario. When these blockbusters are released on thousands of screens nationwide, they rely heavily on the entire country embracing their cinematic offerings.

Regardless of the Republican victory in the election and control of the Senate, there remains an impression that the liberal-inclined entertainment industry, particularly Hollywood, is determined to continue championing social justice causes and progressive values.

As an ardent cinema enthusiast, I firmly believe that societal transformation isn’t solely driven by legislative measures. The realm of media and entertainment plays a pivotal role in shaping the prevailing norms and upholding the status quo. In these turbulent times, where intolerance and bigotry hold significant power, our media outlets bear a tremendous responsibility to propagate messages of equality, diversity, and acceptance. We must actively explore ways to normalize the contentious social issues that have been exploited to sow discord, ensuring such divisive actions are not repeated in the future.

Amidst significant mergers and acquisitions in the movie and television industry, key players are contemplating how Donald Trump’s election might affect these transactions.

A U.S. buyer remarked that, as a Republican, Trump advocates for less government regulation and encourages increased economic activity within the market to stimulate possible business growth.

As the Republican Party regains power over the U.S. Senate, key topics related to the entertainment industry that remain contentious include rules for artificial intelligence and copyright legislation.

In France, President Emmanuel Macron discussed with EbMaster his initiatives to create guidelines for AI distributors and establish standards for discerning truth from falsehood. He noted that it’s likely Republican lawmakers won’t prioritize legislation to safeguard creators or combat online hate speech and misinformation, given Elon Musk’s significant impact on Trump’s election victory, as suggested by a French executive in the industry who resides in the U.S. for two decades.

Eventually, our team from EbMaster found a place to catch the election – an Irish pub filled primarily with tourists. The triumph of Donald Trump echoed through the establishment as a man serenaded patrons with renditions of Bob Marley songs.

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2024-11-07 03:18