Directors Digest — Friday 09 May 2025

In the news this week, the industry reacts to news that Donald Trump is pursuing 100% tariffs on movies produced outside of the US, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy rejects proposals for a streamer levy, and ITV relaunches ‘Amplify: The Regions’ scheme to support indies across the regions.

Read about it in this week’s Digest.

News

•  This week President Donald Trump announced he is pursuing 100% tariffs on movies produced outside of the United States, after Actor Jon Voight presented a proposal to “make Hollywood great again”. (Deadline)

•  The Guardian has reported that a source close to Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Science for Innovation and Technology, has said proposals to introduce an opt-out system of copyright rules in the Data (Use and Access) Bill are no longer the preferred option from the government. (Guardian)

•  British Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has firmly rejected proposals for a levy on streaming platforms operating in the U.K. (Variety)

•  The UK and India are set for closer cultural ties after finalising a new “cultural cooperation agreement”. (Deadline)

•  ITV has announced the launch of the second year of ‘Amplify: The Regions’ as part of its commitment to work with indies across the regions. (Televisual)

•  Over 200 UK independent producers have signed an open letter addressed to BBC Film and Film4, urging the UK’s leading public service broadcasters (PSBs) to “reaffirm their core responsibility to support UK producers and safeguard the future of the UK independent film industry”. (Screen)

•  Production spend in the UK in the first quarter of 2025 was nearly three times the spend of the equivalent period in 2024, according to figures from the BFI. (Screen)

Features

•  What Trump’s tariffs could mean for TV. (Broadcast)

•  How film nationality is determined around the world. (Stephen Follows)

•  Trump’s Film Tariff Threat: Supporting Mental Health in Uncertain Times (Film TV Charity)

Director Interviews

•  Mati Diop: ‘I dream my films very deep’ (Financial Times)

•  Do The Spike Thing: The Defiant Director on Reuniting With Denzel, Bad Money and Resisting Trump. (The Hollywood Reporter)