If watching a movie at normal speed became the exception? A trend, increasingly widespread among young people, consists of accelerating videos – including feature films. A practice that questions, to the point of now entering movie theaters.
In Quebec, the organizers of the Quebec Cinema Rendez-vous recently made a bold bet: to offer the screening of a film in accelerated version. A feature film initially planned to last 1h40 was thus reduced to just over an hour.
The goal: attract a younger audience, accustomed to consuming quick content, and especially launch the debate on our new ways of watching cinema.
A generation used to going faster
Because behind this initiative, a reality emerges. In the age of social media, where videos come at full speed, the attention of viewers (especially among 14-29 year olds) is increasingly fragmented. Some even admit to not watching a movie without checking their phone or doing something else in parallel.
But this adaptation does not have unanimous support. Several film professionals denounce a drift. For them, accelerating a film means altering the pace, intention, and even the emotion. In other words, turning a work into simple content to be consumed quickly. Beyond the artistic debate, the question is also scientific. Researchers are studying the effects of these accelerated videos on our brain.
If a slight speed increase (around 1.5x) does not seem to hinder comprehension, faster rhythms result in a significant decrease in memorization. The disappearance of natural pauses in the discourse, essential for assimilating information, is the cause.
An already well-established phenomenon
In France, the phenomenon is already well-established – albeit more discreetly. On platforms like YouTube, Netflix, or TikTok, it is possible to accelerate content in a few seconds.
And many users resort to it. More surprisingly, on television, films are already slightly accelerated. A technical constraint linked to broadcast standards (25 frames per second compared to 24 in cinemas) that mechanically shortens the duration of works. Result: a few minutes saved – and sometimes more room for commercial breaks.
