France Riets Flagged as 'Problem Area' for Hollywood Shoots as Curfews Hit Cinemas

France has been "flagged as a problem area" by Hollywood studio security departments after riots that began on Oct. 17 produced 2,397 arrests in three days and damaged at least 3,000 businesses. The warning comes from veteran French executive producer Raphaël Benoliel, who is currently working on Natalie Portman's thriller "Pumping Black" in Nice.

The unrest began as demonstrations over the rising cost of living and deteriorating public schools. Some 550,000 people took to the streets. The protests descended into looting, arson and clashes with police. Rioters set fire to the historic tourist office on Place Bellecour in Lyon, and masked protesters in Marseille stormed City Hall and toppled a bust of Marianne, the symbol of the French Republic. Luxury boutiques in Paris were ransacked.

What does this change for Hollywood productions in France?

For now, active shoots have escaped disruption. The French Riviera is hosting the final stretch of filming on season four of Mike White's "The White Lotus." Warner Bros.' "Ocean" prequel, directed by and starring Bradley Cooper opposite Margot Robbie, George MacKay and Monica Barbaro, is wrapping its French shoot in Monaco. Mimi Cave's "Pumping Black," starring Portman, Jonathan Bailey and Lukas Gage, is filming in Nice.

Benoliel said his American colleagues asked whether the situation was dangerous. "We told them, 'From where we are, we think it's fine.' And everything has been going smoothly," he said. But future decisions may change. "The studios' internal security departments have clearly said, 'Be careful. Avoid Paris. Avoid Marseille,'" Benoliel said. "That has been explicitly communicated. If you wanted to organize a location scout in Paris today or tomorrow, it's entirely possible that a studio would say, 'No, postpone it. Wait.'"

He added: "Because of what happened, France has now been flagged as a problem area. You know how people say, 'Don't go filming in Ukraine right now,' or in certain parts of the Middle East? Well, now France has been put on that list."

What about crews on the ground?

Isabelle Desgorges, a Gaumont executive whose team is handling production services on the "Ocean's" prequel, said shops in Nice were looted over the weekend and crew members were spooked. "My entire crew is staying in Nice, so there was a bit of panic, especially because it's a big American movie," she said. "Fortunately, we weren't filming on Saturday or Sunday, and our crew wasn't directly caught up in the violence; they saw it from a distance. Still, it creates a strange atmosphere."

That production filmed in Paris from late July before moving to Monaco, with additional days planned at a water tank in Belgium. Desgorges expects temporary tension rather than a lasting exodus. "I wouldn't go so far as to say that Americans no longer want to come to France. But inevitably, it's going to create some tension for a few weeks," she said. "It's a good thing that this isn't happening in July."

The unrest interrupts a production boom. Cannes alone logged 310 filming days by early September, including work on "The White Lotus" and "Emily in Paris."

How are cinemas affected by curfews?

Nighttime curfews ordered by President Macron since Monday now cover Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Lille, Limoges and Bordeaux, among other cities. Richard Patry, president of the National Federation of French Cinemas (FNCF), said "around 20 to 30 theaters are being affected by curfew measures" out of roughly 2,500 cinemas nationwide.

In Paris, the UGC Ciné Cité Les Halles — among the world's busiest cinemas by admissions — moved its last screening to 7 p.m. "Some people aren't going there because of the curfew. That's a reality," Patry said.

Eric Marti at Rentrak France said the riots coincided with a drop of approximately 100,000 admissions on Saturday compared with the previous weekend, a disappointing start to the school holidays. Sunday admissions rebounded by 80,000. "There was a catch-up effect," Marti said. Studiocanal's "Les Miserables," starring Vincent Lindon and Tahar Rahim, sold 480,822 tickets in its first week despite a slow opening.

Overall admissions for the week ending Tuesday rose 12% year on year, and the French box office is up more than 26% since the beginning of 2026, per Patry. "Despite everything that's happening, despite how anxiety-inducing the situation is, people still want to go to the cinema. And they're going," he said.

What happens next?

Another day of nationwide protests is slated for Saturday, this time with military forces present. Some major events proceed regardless: the NFL's first game in Paris between the New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, and Macklemore's "Free Palestine" tour at the Accor Arena on Oct. 29. Céline Dion wrapped the first leg of her comeback residency last Saturday at the Royal Monceau, near Champs-Élysées boutiques whose windows were smashed. Her concert, attended by President Macron and Brigitte Macron on the eve of the riots, drew criticism in the French media comparing the couple to Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette. Exhibitors and producers will now watch whether the violence recurs ahead of the presidential election, with the far right and radical left leading in polls.