Kristen Stewart Blasts U.S. Studio System at Cannes as “Full Phil” Debuts in Midnight Screenings
Updated
Updated · Variety · May 16
Kristen Stewart Blasts U.S. Studio System at Cannes as “Full Phil” Debuts in Midnight Screenings
4 articles · Updated · Variety · May 16
Kristen Stewart used the Cannes rollout of “Full Phil” to denounce the U.S. studio system, saying it is “not designed for artists” and cannot produce radical work under “capitalistic parameters.”
The actor-director tied that critique to practical barriers, saying Hollywood now hemorrhages money, cannot easily shoot in Los Angeles, and leaves filmmakers waiting years for even a $1 million project.
At the same time, Stewart praised Quentin Dupieux’s fast, microbudget method on the 80-minute “Full Phil,” which premiered Saturday in Cannes’ Midnight Screenings and co-stars Woody Harrelson as her character’s father.
Stewart said the struggle to distribute her 2025 Cannes directorial debut “The Chronology of Water” pushed her toward a more DIY path, including a goal to make a near-no-budget film with friends and release it on YouTube.
Her comments frame “Full Phil” not just as a festival premiere but as part of a broader shift in her career toward international, lower-cost filmmaking outside the traditional studio model.
Is Kristen Stewart's bold critique of Hollywood a career risk or the future of filmmaking?
Why did a film with mixed critical reviews earn a lengthy standing ovation from its Cannes audience?