Netflix is waving au revoir to Cannes this year. After the French film festival banned movies that did not have a run at the cinemas from competing for the coveted Palme d’Or, Netflix has now pulled out of the festival altogether. Confirmed to Variety, chief content officer at Netflix, Ted Sarandos says, “We want our films to be on fair ground with every other filmmaker. There’s a risk in us going in this way and having our films and filmmakers treated disrespectfully at the festival. They’ve set the tone. I don’t think it would be good for us to be there.”

He is referring to some previous harsh words from head of the film festival, Thierry Fremaux, who said, “The Netflix people loved the red carpet and would like to be present with other films. But they understand that the intransigence of their own model is now the opposite of ours.”

Sarandos believes, however, that down the line, Cannes and Fremaux might have a change of heart. “I do have faith that Thierry shares my love for cinema and would be a champion of changing that when he realises how punitive this rule is to filmmakers and film lovers,” he states.

Netflix original movies could still have been screened at Cannes, but were out of competing for any of the honours. Sarandos noted that the company will still be in Cannes to look for movies to purchase for the streaming service.