As far-right ideas become more prominent in public conversations, questions are being raised about whether film criticism can stay neutral in the midst of these cultural and political debates. Film criticism is inherently subjective, and the personal beliefs of critics can influence their reviews, even when the films they assess don’t seem directly political. Today, with cinema playing a major role in broader political discussions, it is becoming harder for critics to remain neutral. Misinformation about how French cinema is funded has led to accusations that critics use public money to make films about migrants, prompting critics to explain the self-financing model of the French film industry, which relies heavily on regional and private contributions. Vincent Bolloré, a powerful media mogul, has expanded his influence through the acquisition of UGC, a major cinema chain. This has raised concerns about the future of public audiovisual services, especially if the far-right National Rally party gains political power. During the Cannes Film Festival, a campaign called Zapper Bolloré was launched to draw attention to these potential risks and to push back against what critics see as the growing influence of private interests in the media space. The divide in how films are received has become more pronounced, with critics facing backlash for their reviews. For example, negative reviews of the film L'Abandon led to accusations of islamophobia, while critiques of L'Odyssée sparked unexpected reactions from users on the social media platform X, who thought the criticism aligned with far-right views. Similarly, Théo Ribeton faced criticism from the Republican Spring group for his analysis of the Israeli series Fauda in the newspaper Libération. At the website Critikat, the editorial team tends to lean left politically, but they do not explicitly take political stances in their reviews. Their focus is on analyzing films based on their internal logic and narrative complexity. The controversy around the publication of C’était ça ou mourir by Thélyson Orélien highlights the difficulties of maintaining critical distance in a highly polarized environment. While the author has been accused of plagiarism, the discussion has also touched on the role of artificial intelligence in literature and the need to avoid overly one-sided interpretations. The independence of critical speech is being closely watched, with some arguing that critics should support the film industry during difficult times. However, there is a risk that this could blur the line between criticism and promotion. This tension was evident when a press attaché suggested that critics should be more supportive of independent foreign films, particularly in light of Bolloré’s growing influence. As the months go on, maintaining the independence of critical perspective while dealing with these pressures will continue to be a challenge for critics.