The Future of Cinema: Macron's Call for a New Multilateralism

The Birth of Cinema and Its Digital Evolution

In 1895, the first public film screening took place at the Grand Café near the Paris Opera. It was a moment that changed everything—Auguste and Louis Lumière's short films, each no more than 50 seconds long, gave birth to cinema as we know it today. What began in darkness, with the flickering of light on a screen, has become one of humanity's most powerful storytelling mediums.

We built a civilization of images. We should not resign ourselves to watching it deteriorate.

As I write this, I'm reminded of how much cinema has evolved since those early days. The Lumière brothers' vision was simple—capture life in motion. Yet what started with just 10 short films would eventually give rise to a global cultural force that shapes how we see the world and ourselves.

Why This Moment Matters

Now, over a century later, we stand at another crossroads. The digital revolution has transformed how content is made, consumed, and distributed. Screens have become part of our daily lives, not just in theaters but on phones, tablets, laptops, and smart TVs. Yet something crucial has been lost along the way.

We now live in a world where attention is fragmented, where algorithms decide what we see, and where the line between entertainment and information blurs. The question isn't whether screens are here to stay—it's how we can ensure that they remain tools for creativity, connection, and cultural exchange rather than vessels of distraction.

The Paradox of Plenty

There's a striking paradox at play in our current media landscape: we spend more time looking at screens than ever before, yet we're consuming fewer meaningful works. The number of available images has exploded, but the quality and depth of what we're seeing hasn't kept pace.

Consider this—our children are growing up surrounded by visual stimuli that are designed to capture attention quickly, not hold it. Teachers struggle to maintain focus amid a constant stream of notifications and alerts. Artists wonder if their work will ever find an audience amidst the noise.

Preserving the Promise

The screen itself is neutral—it's how we use it that matters. We must recognize that screens can educate, inspire, and connect us across cultures and generations. But they also carry risks. The challenge lies in preserving the promise of cinema while confronting its current vulnerabilities.

Cinema has always been about more than just stories; it's a form of shared experience. It allows us to step into someone else's life, feel their pain or joy, and come away changed. When that experience is diminished by constant interruptions or algorithmic manipulation, we lose something essential.

Why Global Cooperation Is Needed

This isn't a problem one nation or company can solve alone. We need a new form of multilateralism for creative industries—bringing together governments, studios, artists, broadcasters, platforms, and institutions to build a shared future for moving images.

That's why I'm hosting the Lumière Summit with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. Together, we're creating a platform for dialogue between nations that may have taken different paths but share a commitment to open creativity and cultural exchange.

Building a Richer Creative Future

The goal isn't to preserve yesterday's model—it's to create the conditions for a richer creative future. This means ensuring we can still fund ambitious works, support new voices, and sustain institutions that bring stories to life. It also means giving audiences tools to navigate an age of infinite images.

Technological progress must be compatible with human creativity. We should not let machines define what kind of world we inhabit. Instead, we should use technology to enhance our ability to tell compelling stories, to foster empathy, and to preserve the rich tapestry of global culture.

The Path Forward

We have an opportunity to reimagine how creative industries function in a rapidly changing world. This moment calls for bold thinking, strategic cooperation, and a deep respect for the power of storytelling.

From cinema to television to gaming, we must find ways to ensure that each medium continues to evolve while staying true to its core purpose: to move us, challenge us, and connect us. Let's not just watch the screen—we should shape it.

The Vision of Cultural Sovereignty

France carries a special responsibility in this conversation. We're proud that cinema was born here 130 years ago, but we don't want to freeze it in time. Our task is to help create the conditions for reinvention—where tradition and innovation coexist, where global reach doesn't mean cultural homogenization, and where economic ambition supports cultural richness.

Ultimately, we must decide what kind of civilization of images we want to build—and whether we have the ambition to make moving images one of the most valuable common goods of our times. The future of creativity is in our hands, and it's up to all of us to ensure that it remains a force for good.