07-05-2025
Trump's proposed 100% foreign movie tariff 'misguided'
JOHANNESBURG - US President Donald Trump once again has the world on tenterhooks.
This time he is targeting the film and production industry. He announced a 100% tariff on foreign-made movies.
Trump says the tariffs are a drastic attempt to boost the US movie industry.
While this proposal has been stalled, it has ruffled the feathers of many film producers outside of the US.
Holocene Films CEO Weaam Williams says the plan could hurt South Africa's film industry, especially those companies that work with the US and which facilitate Hollywood production.
The proposal could also prove detrimental to those who distribute films to the US.
It's not yet clear how the tax would be implemented, and Williams says creatives have many un-answered questions.
'Trump's plans are very unclear, whether it implies to foreign films distributed inside the US or co-productions between the US and other countries,' she says.
Jack Devnarain, an actor and chairperson of the SA Guild of Actors, says the proposal is misguided and lacks forethought.
Brendan Smialowski / AFP
According to statistics from the Film Industry Visa Assistance programme and the Commercial Producers Association of South Africa (CPASA), the local film industry attracted R2.52 billion in foreign investment through international productions between November 2023 and June 2024.
During this time, foreign film crews booked over 59,000 hotel bed nights, generating R148 million for the hospitality sector.
Additional spending on transportation, dining and recreational activities further underscore the pivotal role of film production in bolstering business tourism.
The CPASA says the film industry has created 26,573 jobs for local freelance crew members and performers. The sector also supports small businesses, including catering and equipment rental services, extending its economic impact.
