An A-list gathering in the French Riviera aimed to serve as a rallying cry for a sector threatened by YouTube, TikTok and artificial intelligence.

When France played host to a United Nations climate conference 11 years ago, it could credibly claim that the fate of humanity hung in the balance. It made no such claims on Monday, when French officials gathered people from around the world to discuss the crisis in the global film industry. Yet some of the language was familiar. At a time when Netflix, You Tube and Tik Tok are draining viewers away from movie theaters, and artificial intelligence is altering how movies are made, the threats to cinema are existential and demand a multilateral response, the event’s organizers said. President Emmanuel Macron of France, who chaired the conference along with Lee Jae Myung, the president of South Korea, announced initiatives to educate young people about cinema, preserve aging film stock, save independent theaters and pour resources into domestic film industries. France and Korea each pledged 500 million euros ($580 million) to support filmmakers.

The conference, attended by 250 people including George Clooney, Costa-Gavras, and executives from Netflix, Disney, NBC Universal, was described as a Davos for Cannes. YouTube declined to attend, while TikTok sent an executive. The organizers stressed that a healthy American film industry was vital globally, as cinema in many countries equals American cinema. Only 40 percent of French box office sales are American-made, versus 85 percent in Latin America. France remains an exception to U.S. cultural dominance, with hits like “De Gaulle” drawing crowds.

France and South Korea each pledged 500 million euros to support filmmakers. President Macron emphasized cinema’s French origins in 1895. The conference highlighted the need for multilateral action amid threats from streaming platforms and AI.