Research Talk - 16th November, 2022

This research talk took place on the 16th of November and was titled "Streaming Frenchness: What Netflix does to French Identity".The talk was conducted by Dr Loïc Bourdeau who is a lecturer in French Studies at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth.

In 2010 Netflix began expanding and it was during this time they started focusing on a global market and started airing shows that saw global success. Despite some pushback from the French film industry, France became one of Netflix's largest foreign markets. Currently, Netflix has 1 billion global subscribers. An issue Dr Bourdeau highlighted in his talk surrounding French identity was representation of minority groups in the French industry for example, 0.6% of actors in the French industry are disabled. There is a notable difference when it comes to representation of disabled individuals, racial diverse actors and female actresses.Screens can act as gateways and mirrors but can also become borders and shields, blocking out certain communities and limiting their onscreen representation.

An example Dr Bourdeau focused on in his talk was the show "Emily in Paris" a series on Netflix that follows an aspiring marketing executive named Emily Cooper. She is an American who has moved to France to offer her American perspective to the French marketing firm she's working at. The biggest issue with Emily in Paris, from a French perspective, is the emphasis on French

stereotypes. The series is not appealing to a French market or audience and thus gives viewers what they expect and want which is an idealised perspective of Paris that focuses on the surface level stereotyped version of the city. It's all about the magnetic pull of Paris. There was a huge push when it came to international appeal but this came at the expense of authenticity. The series was initially produced by Paramount but was then picked up by Netflix. It is common for Netflix to acquire projects from elsewhere. Dr Bourdeau describes the series as "filtered and monotone" and states that is gives a distinct "bourgeois feel of the capital". The show paints an individualistic, instagram version of Paris.

The show emphasizes the cultural differences between American and France but not necessarily in a good way. The series presents imported American solutions and paints a picture of this American invader who is ultimately viewed as a savior. Also, in regards to the setting, the rich history of Paris is entirely forgotten about and overlooked. The show focuses on the viewer and what they can see rather than the important historical aspects that are behind the famous city. There is too much emphasis on appearances at facades. On top of losing sight of history the show also simplifies important topics such as the #MeToo movement and belittles it. Emily in Paris generalizes France and French people and gives a homogenous French view that is out dated in inaccurate while Emily stands as a paragon of morality within the show. The story line devolves into a battle between American goodness and purity verses French debauchery.

Dr Bourdeau also brought up the French show Lupin during his talk. The show is inspired by the adventures of Arsène Lupin. We follow a gentleman thief named Assane Diop who sets out to avenge his father for an injustice inflicted upon him by a wealthy family. The show is very successful in France with 70 million views in the first quarter of 2021. The series highlights topics such as racism, classism and there is a theme of visibility examining the seen verses the unseen. The series looks at prejudiced stereotypes in French society as the protagonist is a black man. The context is

important as it looks at how Assane is at home in Paris but how Paris might not accept that he is at home there. Despite the series having a black man as the main character there is still a lack of black actors on screen today. Within this series there is no black women and Assane spends no meaningful time with other black people beyond his family. Also, there was initial social media backlash when it was announced a black actor would be portraying Assane Diop and depicting the adventures of Lupin.Dr Bourdeau said this highlighted the French inability to be frontal and their obliqueness.

The last example Dr Bourdeau discussed in his talk was the French show "Dix Pour Cent" (Meaning "Call My Agent). The show follows a group of talent agents at an agency called ASK (Agence Samuel Kerr) and the relationships that transpire with their celebrity clients. The series highlights aspects of racism as seen with the character of Sophia but also shows women's visibility within the French acting industry. For example, median percentage of women who speak on French TV is 32%. Within the show, relationships between a 50 year old man and a 35 year old woman are normalised. The series also calls attention to the widespread tendency to make the LGBTQ+

community invisible for example, despite one of the main characters being an openly gay woman the use of the term "lesbian" is avoided. Dr Bourdeau states that "to not name or misname sets up a system of otherness". Andrea, the asserted lesbian character, normalises her sexual orientation and it becomes a non issue which was big for French viewers as this portrayal of such a character was uncommon. The show successfully introduced an openly lesbian character yet despite this the word "lesbian" is never uttered and when it is, on the rare occasion, it is used as an insult. Her way of life is still seen as problematic in some capacity. Typically, the fate of the lesbian character is humiliation, rape, conversion or death. Andrea ends up questioning her identity for no reason presenting this unnecessary moment of doubt that undermines her character and portrays her as some sort of selfish woman.

In his closing statement Dr Bourdeau acknowledges Netflix's incredible success, with millennials and Gen X being one of the largest demographics of subscribers. However, he goes on to call attention to the fact that Netflix is dependant, in ways, on nostalgia for its success as seen with the series "Stranger Things" or the French series "Les 7 Vies" which is set in the 1980s. Netflix relies on cultural references to the past more than the past itself. Unfortunately, the French obliqueness is exacerbated by nostalgia. The turn to the past plays on superficiality and overlooks France's history when it could be an opportunity to tackle important issues such as racism, classism and prejudice that are unfortunately never explored. This apolitical approach reinforces cultural amnesia and prevents France from dealing with its past traumas. In the end, Netflix has great potential to over more inclusive and less stereotypical idea of Frenchness but it must act as a springboard for more new and diverse voices to create content rather than simply being a platform for already established voices that want to bypass French funding structures.