France: Amazon slams media windowing
September 29, 2025
From Pascale Paoli-Lebailly in Paris
Prime Video France has once again blasted French media windowing and the fact it has to wait 17 months before offering new movies to its subscribers. During a Prime Video Presents press conference, managing director Christophe Deguine reiterated the platform’s position on this windowing in France, which the company isn’t signatory to.
According to the text of the agreement schedules for the 2025-2027 period, the streaming platform has an unalterable timeline to respect before releasing movies.
Noting that Prime Video launched in France nine years ago, Deguine suggested the delay was detrimental both to the visibility of the film and to the viewer, urging the current situation to evolve to “reflect the habits of the French viewers”.
In April, Prime Video filed a substantive appeal with the Council of State (two weeks after Netflix) against this windowing agreement signed in early 2025 and against the extension order which makes this text applicable to all SVoD players, even those who haven’t signed it.
At the event, Prime Video also presented its line-up and new productions for the autumn season.
“Our 100 per cent customisable offering is based on four pillars: originals, sports, pay-per-view VoD and more than 50 optional channels through Prime Video channels,” commented Deguine.
“Our ambition is to put the viewer at the centre,” he added, stressing Amazon MGM Studios has announced a significant acceleration of its ambitions in cinema by trebling the production volume starting in 2026, with 14 feature films planned, including After the Hunt from Luca Guadagnino and sci-fi title Project Hail Mary. As for French original productions, Prime Video announced a shift in strategy in order to explore new territories and new genres. To attract a younger and more female skewed audience, the platform will focus on romance and comedy.
In the romance genre, Prime Video has announced the development of Sarah Rivens’ book Lakestone, which has sold over 35 million copies.
On the sporting front, Prime Video welcomed the arrival of the NBA championship this autumn. The service will continue to broadcast Roland Garros Paris tennis open and is returning to the French football championship with the distribution of Ligue1+.
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