Podcast Summary

Jay'sAnalysis — Hollywood Director on WOKE Films, Symbolism & The Esoteric: Yvan Gauthier

Date: February 20, 2026
Host: Jay Dyer
Guest: Yvan Gauthier (French writer, director, producer)

Episode Overview

This episode features French filmmaker Yvan Gauthier, known for both his independent and commercial film work in France and Hollywood. Jay Dyer and Yvan discuss the trajectory of Yvan’s career, the cultural differences between European and American filmmaking, the impact of “woke” ideology on film production and distribution, the inner workings of the industry, and the symbolism and esoteric elements in cinema. Yvan offers candid stories about specific films and personalities (Nick Cage, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Robert De Niro), exposes the hurdles faced by non-establishment filmmakers, and shares insights on his anti-woke platform “Films Against the Machines.”

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Early Fascination with Film & Influences

• Yvan’s Origin Story:
  • Sparked by early exposure to a diverse range of films beyond commercial titles, thanks to his parents running a local cinema club in rural France.
  • “It was like almost revelation, you know… what movies can make you feel is... unique to me.” (03:01)
  • Struggles connecting to Paris film school establishment – describes it as “ultra selective for the happy few part of the families.” (04:12)
• Cultural Separation:
  • French film schools (e.g., the prestigious “Le Fémis,” formerly IDHEC) are often gatekept by connections or political alignment.
  • “A lot of them were part of family who were already in the business or the LGBT...” (06:57)
  • Early fandom: Luc Besson, Steven Spielberg, Sergio Leone, and American commercial movies “with a twist.” (09:09)

Cultural Contrasts: Europe vs. U.S. Cinema

• French culture integrates film and the arts more deeply, but both systems (France and Hollywood) are dominated by their own forms of bureaucratic control and ideological pressure.
  • “Culture is part of culture in France...You have film festivals everywhere.” (11:11)
  • Contrasted with the U.S. where “it’s more so about the experience... not really seen as art.” (10:31)
• Both environments foster conformity in different ways—either “art house” elitism or “commercial” shallowness, with “woke” self-censorship becoming prevalent.

The Roles of Producer vs. Director (France vs. U.S.)

• France: Director is legally protected—always has final cut; the movie “is his.”
• U.S.: Director is often subordinate to producer/studio; “He makes the producer’s movies.” (16:59)
  • “The director could be his own worst enemy at some point…and in the US, the opposite, the director can have his movie taken away from him.” (18:04)

The Woke Paradigm in Industry Gatekeeping

• State and Industry Censorship:
  • “Self-censorship” dominates; films must “turn into woke world...otherwise these movies don’t get made.” (20:51)
  • “The system found a way to impose...the way they want the movies to be. And it’s the same in the US and in France… just with different tools.” (21:29)
• Festival Politics:
  • Being accepted by certain festivals (e.g., Slamdance, Cannes Critics’ Week) is highly political and can make or break a film’s prospects. (37:40)

Inside Hollywood: War Stories from the Indie/Action Trenches

LA I Hate You (2010): Low-Budget, Meta-Hollywood Satire

• Born from a “movie that fell apart,” concepts drawn from real-life Hollywood anecdotes.
  • “LA I Hate You is kind of reminiscent of the Epstein... Eyes Wide Shut type parties going on.” (28:06)
  • “Most of the storylines are based on things we knew or experienced. It’s actually real.” (25:13)

I Am Wrath & Studio Takeovers

• At one point, involved Nick Cage (originally intended to direct), then considered William Friedkin, later became a John Travolta film.
  • “I had a, an idea...[the script] was very different from the original...as soon as you get bigger names, then that’s when everybody wants a piece of it.” (41:00)
  • “It’s like you come up with a baby…and it’s being raised by someone else.” (49:09)

Editing Battles & Creative Differences

• Editor’s Role:
  • Yvan often handled multiple jobs: editing, producing, post-supervising.
  • “When you cut the movie, that’s where you really shape it. And a lot of creativity comes from the editing.” (34:35)
• Films like Running with the Devil:
  • “I cut like, you know, a better version of the movie actually…when I left, they decided to chop it to make it shorter. But in the process, I think they lost a bit of the soul of the movie.” (55:38–60:00)

Collaborating with Stars

• Nick Cage:
  • “Very sweet man. I really liked him...He’s a very normal guy, actually—as normal as you can be in this business.” (50:27)
• Van Damme:
  • “Jean Claude is very involved in editing…he loves the editing process…we had a little bit of a conflict at some point.” (61:07)
• Morgan Freeman & De Niro:
  • Involved in complex, sometimes tumultuous productions (e.g., The Poison Rose, Comeback Trail); Yvan sometimes responsible for “de-woking” the final edit.
    • “There was a lot of very woke elements in this movie...and I suggested...because woke is not funny. Comedy, you know, I think all these woke stuff kind of kills the comedy.” (66:53)

The New Model: Independence and “Films Against the Machines”

• Move to Mississippi & Post-COVID Shift:

  • Fleeing LA’s “crazy” lockdowns, Yvan and his wife set up a studio and film festival in Mississippi, intent on carving out a space for anti-woke, high-quality, independent cinema. (70:12)

• Vampire Project:

  • A “meta” film about the struggle to make unapproved art in a woke industry.
  • “It was also an opportunity to talk about the COVID and how it was affecting creative creation and how the woke mind as well—you know, like they always want to, you know, ‘put like a transgender in the movie...’” (75:57)
  • The “Hollywood vampire” = allegory for ideological and financial predation.

• All Sinners / Anti-Woke Slate:

  • Upcoming: “All Sinners,” a rural, “Fargo-esque” Coen Brothers-meets-Guy Ritchie action thriller with Christian themes.
  • “We’re bringing other people in... for movies that are more health conscious, some with religious content… not just made for Christians, which is kind of pointless in some way. So this is a beautiful movie.” (82:00)
  • Distribution is through self-controlled platforms, aiming to “fight the machine.”

Reflections on Art, Commerce, and the Future

• On Film as Art:
  • Jay: “This is probably the most unique medium or form of art out there.” (85:18)
  • Yvan: “Movies that have the budget to try to make something well crafted, nowadays they're always very super woke... and it's depressing.” (81:18)
  • Platform is open to new filmmakers: “If we can help people who are really, really interested… we can really help.” (85:50–87:53)
• Industry Trends:
  • Name actors in B-action films are “too old” (Van Damme, Seagal, Lundgren), leaving a genre vacuum.
  • Hollywood and global cinema are becoming increasingly hostile to anything outside the establishment narrative.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Film School Elitism:
  • “I could realize right away that I wasn't in, in on the same page at all with, with this group of people...they were all about super arthouse filmmaking. It was super leftist...I was completely ostracized.” — Yvan (07:07)
• On Wokeness and Self-Censorship:
  • "There's self-censorship, you know...to make a movie happen, they have to...start writing in that realm, you know, otherwise these movies don't get made." — Yvan (20:50)
• On the Real Hollywood:
  • “LA I Hate You...already had that...structure of Hollywood, you know, that was in the movie as well. Reminiscent of the Epstein...Eyes Wide Shut type parties.” — Jay (28:04)
• On Losing Creative Control:
  • “It’s like you come up with like a baby... and then it’s not even born, it’s been raised by someone else... it felt because I always feel it was a really strong concept originally.” — Yvan (49:09)
• On Editing and Artistic Choices:
  • “A lot of the creativity comes from the editing...” — Yvan (34:41)
  • “I kind of de-woke the movie...There was a lot of very woke elements in this movie that I wasn't too crazy about, and I suggested to remove them.” — Yvan (66:55)
• On the Future & Platform:
  • "We decided to create that banner Films Against the Machines...We’re bringing other people... movies that are more health conscious, some with religious content... We’re already trying to bring something different." — Yvan (82:00)
• On Helping Others:
  • “We could become that anchor in that system that people can rely on and say hey, maybe we can, we can start something because we know, we understand, we've been through everything…” — Yvan (85:50)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:23 — Yvan’s first film inspirations & family background
• 04:06 — Film school challenges and elitism
• 11:07 — Comparing film culture in France vs. US
• 16:59 — Director vs. producer: legal and creative distinctions
• 20:50 — Woke self-censorship and state/festival influence
• 28:04 — LA I Hate You, Hollywood’s “dark side,” insider tales
• 37:40 — The politics and career impact of festival acceptance/rejection
• 41:00–49:09 — The saga of I Am Wrath: script, credit, and creative loss
• 55:38–60:00 — Editing “Running with the Devil”: moral ambiguity, editorial cuts
• 61:07 — Jean-Claude Van Damme stories; the actor as post-production auteur
• 66:53 — “De-woking” The Comeback Trail
• 70:12 — COVID, the move to Mississippi, and starting anew
• 75:57 — Symbolism and satire in Vampire Project
• 81:18–83:27 — The challenge of pushing back against the woke system
• 85:50–87:53 — An open call for independent filmmakers

Closing

Jay and Yvan close by encouraging listeners to check out “Films Against the Machines” and to reach out if interested in collaborating or learning more about independent, non-woke filmmaking. Links to Yvan’s latest projects, including the “Vampire Project,” are mentioned, along with an open invitation for creators seeking alternatives to the mainstream, ideologically-restricted film world.

For more, visit Films Against the Machines and explore Yvan’s catalog. Listeners are also encouraged to join future Jay Dyer events and check out the referenced films, especially “Vampire Project.”