Since 2022, an unexpected alliance has been shaking up the film world: TikTok, the global icon of short, viral videos, has become an official partner of the Cannes Film Festival, the sanctuary of feature films, arthouse cinema and cinematic refinement. This alliance, which would have seemed unlikely just a few years ago, reflects a broader cultural reality: the profound transformation of the mechanisms of recommendation, influence and desire surrounding cinema.
Clash of worlds: influencers vs. purists
The red carpet appearances of personalities such as Léna Situations, Just Riadh and Léa Elui, followed by millions of fans, have energised social media. Cannes no longer shines the spotlight solely on big screen stars, but also on those of mobile screens. A video by Brut, with over 325,000 engagements, highlights the key role of these influencers: bringing cinema to life, connecting it to current debates and making it visible to younger generations.
However, this transformation has attracted fierce criticism. MP Laure Miller (Renaissance/Marne), rapporteur for a commission of inquiry into the psychological effects of TikTok, has called for an end to the partnership, denouncing an algorithm that exposes young people to anxiety-inducing content (depression, self-harm, suicide) without sufficient protection. Several French families have already taken legal action against the platform.
Beyond mental health, this is a symbolic question: should arthouse cinema be opened up to influencers who are often criticised for their superficiality, or should their unique role in promoting the seventh art be recognised?
TikTok, an underestimated cultural force
It would be simplistic (and almost naive) to reduce TikTok to a mere space for empty or superficial entertainment. Recent data from Nielsen’s State of Play Report (2023) and studies conducted by TikTok USA in September 2024 paint a richer picture:
- 52% of users say they have discovered a film, series or actor on the platform.
- 75% say they wanted to discover a work after seeing it on the platform.
In other words, TikTok has become a major cultural player, re-igniting cinematic curiosity in generations that traditional channels (specialised press, festivals, critics) struggle to reach. Far from being a threat, the platform is proving to be an attention accelerator and a catalyst for digital word-of-mouth.
Hashtags such as #OnRegardeQuoi (more than 2.5 billion views and 61,800 posts) bring together communities that recommend, comment and debate. Some films become real phenomena on TikTok thanks to the virality of an extract or a sound. The Substance, presented last year at Cannes, is a good example. The scene with Margaret Qualley set to the song “Control Yourself” generated over 28,300 videos, transforming this passage into an easily identifiable visual and audio reference point.
Another viral trend, taken from the same film, ‘Have you ever dreamt of a better version of yourself?’ involves comparing younger and older celebrities, highlighting their physical or stylistic similarities, as if they were two versions of the same person who had taken ‘the substance’. It’s a simple and effective way to embody the concept of the film, while facilitating its dissemination on the platform via an engaging and easily replicable format.
TikTok is establishing itself as a major cultural player, reviving cinematic curiosity among generations that are largely untouched by traditional channels (press, festivals, critics). Rather than a threat, the platform acts as an amplifier of attention and a catalyst for digital word-of-mouth.
Experts reshaping hierarchies
Often perceived as a stream of choreographed dances, memes and viral content, TikTok reveals a more subtle phenomenon: a new wave of film buffs driven by specialised accounts that challenge traditional critical hierarchies.
Some creators offer detailed analyses, comparing different points of view, staging and the intentions of the filmmakers. For many young people, scrolling before and especially after a film prolongs the cinematic experience, becoming a collective debate enriched by diverse voices. Unlike traditional, vertical criticism, TikTok encourages horizontal circulation: users become actors in the interpretation, accessing a variety of readings that refine their perspective. There is a multiplicity of opinions and analyses that help to form a more nuanced view.
TikTok Spotlight: when recommendations lead to action
With the launch of TikTok Spotlight in France, the platform offers a new feature that centralises all content related to a film or series on a dedicated page: trailers, official clips, casting information, and fan creations approved by the rights holders. This page also allows users to buy cinema tickets or subscribe to a streaming service without leaving the app.
For professionals, TikTok Spotlight offers an analytics dashboard to track campaign impact, identify viral spikes, adjust targeting and drive content strategies. This feature marks an evolution in the use of the platform, which aims to facilitate the conversion of attention into concrete actions in the context of cultural marketing.
A double-edged partnership?
Given this picture, the question remains: are TikTok and Cannes forming a visionary alliance or making a risky compromise? Behind the partnership lie two contrasting visions of cinema: one based on prestige, rarity and contemplation, and the other on immediacy, virality and mass engagement.
Rejecting TikTok in the name of artistic purity would undoubtedly mean turning a blind eye to the real changes taking place in the cultural landscape. But abandoning ourselves to it without discernment could also precipitate a levelling down, where the value of a film is measured by its views and shares.
It remains to be seen whether the Cannes Film Festival (and, more broadly, the audiovisual industry) will be able to strike the subtle balance between heritage and modernity, between auteur cinema and algorithmic power. Because one thing is certain: the future of cinema is no longer playing out in theatres, but also, from now on, in the palm of a scrolling thumb.
By Lucas Leclercq
