Donald Trump threatens Hollywood tariffs; ENCORE: Director Edward Berger talks ‘Conclave’

The Business

KCRW

Tv & Film

4.6 • 676 Ratings

🗓️ 9 May 2025

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

President Trump stunned Hollywood over the weekend with his announcement of a 100% tariff on films produced outside the U.S., framing it as a move to revive domestic production and counter foreign incentives. The industry responded with confusion and concern, warning that such tariffs could sharply raise production costs, reduce the number of films made, and hit moviegoers with higher ticket prices. Kim Masters and Matt Belloni dig into the details.

Plus, the papal conclave recently concluded to reveal the next pope — 69-year-old Chicago-native Pope Leo XIV. Masters revisits her interview with Edward Berger about his latest film, Conclave. The German director tells us how studying filmmaking at NYU in the 90s led him to an internship at the indie production company Good Machine. He also sings the praises of Netflix, which he reveals was the only financier daring enough to pay for his grim German-language war film All Quiet on the Western Front. The film went on to receive four Academy Awards, including Best International Feature Film.

Transcript

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0:00.0	I'm Madeline Brand, host of KCRW's Press Play. I want to update you on what KCRW is facing right now.
0:06.9	The current administration is seeking an end to federal funding for public media.
0:11.9	President Trump attempted to fire board members at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting,
0:17.4	and now Doge and Elon Musk are coming for station funding.
0:38.7	If they succeed, KCRW will lose out on at least $1.3 million a year. And that's a lot for us. So now, more than ever, donating to KCRW is something powerful you can do. $20, $32, and $100 a month are the most popular giving levels.
0:44.1	So choose what works for you at kCRW.com slash give.
0:45.2	And thank you.
0:51.6	From KCRW, I'm Kim Masters, and this is the business.
0:55.6	Well, that was quick, with the Conclave having announced a new Pope,
1:01.7	we revisit the movie Conclave with director Edward Berger. Conclave was the second film he's had an Oscar contention. His Netflix movie, All Quiet on the Western Front, won seven BAFTAs and four
1:07.7	Academy Awards, including Best International Feature.
1:15.9	That's a pretty good outcome for an NYU Film School grad who got his start years ago,
1:20.2	simply by approaching a production company that had made a lot of movies he liked.
1:24.2	I opened a phone book, and I looked, I'm going to rollerblade over there,
1:31.5	and I knocked on the door, and this guy called Anthony Bregman, who I'm making a movie with now 25 years later,
1:33.2	opened the door and said, who are you?
1:34.5	And I said, I'm Eddie.
1:36.3	I was wondering if you have a job.
1:37.9	And he said, oh, yeah, come on in.
1:42.4	Edward Berger talks about his internship at the indie production company Good Machine,
1:48.4	and foreshadowing the latest episode of the Apple series, The Studio, he sings the praises of Netflix.
1:55.6	He says the streamer was the only financier that would pay for a grim German language film like All Quiet on the Western Front.
	...

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