Director Sean Baker, who is serving as head of the international jury at the Red Sea Film Festival, spoke about Netflix's plan to buy Warner Bros. and made it clear that he wants to protect the movie theater experience.

While he avoided judging the deal too early, Baker said he "doesn't think any of us should be commenting until we all know how the deal is going to play out."

Still, he stressed that filmmakers must stand firm on keeping long theatrical windows before movies move to streaming.

Baker said he believes theaters should get even more time with films, not less. He explained that the big-screen experience matters to both creators and moviegoers.

"Filmmakers have to put our foot down," he said, adding that he plans to secure a 100-day theatrical run for his next film, Variety reported.

He argued that rushing a movie straight to streaming "diminishes the importance of a film," while theaters help lift it up and give it the spotlight it deserves.

The director shared that he feels encouraged by younger audiences. Even though many assume Gen Z prefers streaming, he said "Anora's" largest group of viewers came from this age group.

He added that when he goes to theaters in Los Angeles, "it's usually Gen Z," and he loves seeing them enjoy movies without distractions.

Sean Baker Sticks With Indie Style

Following his historic night at the Oscars—becoming the first filmmaker to win four awards for the same movie—Baker says he has no interest in moving to giant studio projects.

According to THR, he made it clear he will not chase a "$150 million studio thing." Instead, he wants to keep working at a scale similar to "Anora," which he made with a small, passionate team.

He said the group believed in a "guerrilla way of making a film," and the success they earned together makes him want to continue that style.

Baker admitted that the past few months have been overwhelming. Just a day and a half after the Oscars, he and his producing partner Samantha Kwan were already flying to Tokyo for Anora's release, followed by a trip to Cannes for the premiere of "Left-Handed Girl."

He said he only recently found a moment to look back on everything, calling the experience "a beautiful thing."

At the Red Sea Film Festival, Baker also spoke about the power of film competitions. He said his own career was shaped by festival awards and highlighted the importance of events that offer financial support to new filmmakers.

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