Kane Parsons and Oscars chief talk cinemas and YouTube future in Zurich
Kane Parsons, the 20-year-old director behind Backrooms, told film executives in Zurich that it is "reductive" to assume his generation only wants short videos.
Parsons was speaking alongside Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences chief executive Bill Kramer at the 2026 Zurich Summit, which closed on 27 September. The pair took part in a Deadline-moderated panel on theatrical success in the age of YouTube, TikTok and other online platforms Deadline.
The numbers are stark. Backrooms took a reported $400M in ticket sales against a $10M budget, according to September 2026 reporting. Parsons built his audience on YouTube before moving into cinemas. He does not call it horror.
Kramer said that fandom travelled from YouTube to theatres and helped energise young audiences. He added that more than half of Academy Museum theatre ticket buyers are under the age of 40.
The conversation soon turned to where those young viewers will watch the Oscars. YouTube has signed a multi-year deal for exclusive global rights to the ceremony, starting in 2029 with the 101st Oscars Academy. The deal ends the long run on ABC in the United States.
Kramer said the YouTube telecast will be free to everyone around the world in over 30 languages, with the same telecast at the same time. He described the 2029 ceremony as a "very different-looking Oscars" The Hollywood Reporter. He said the Academy remains in partnership with Disney for the next two years and is in discussions with YouTube chief executive Neal Mohan and his team over the broadcast.
The summit was held from 25 to 27 September at The Dolder Grand during the 22nd Zurich Film Festival. Kramer also delivered a keynote on awards season. Other summit speakers included Candle Media founder Kevin Mayer, MUBI founder Efe Cakarel and CAA Media Finance executive Elisabeth d'Arvieu.
What makes this stand out is the exchange itself. A creator raised on free online video made the case for the big screen, while the head of Hollywood's most traditional awards show made the case for YouTube.
