Cinema

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made cinema a priority in its cultural policy. The external audiovisual department is leading a project to:

  Promote French cinema across the world

  Support the production and distribution of films from the South

Promoting French cinema across the world

A series of 300 35mm feature-length films

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is putting 300 feature length films on the French overseas cultural network (cultural centres, film libraries, museums, universities, festivals). Destined for non-commercial public screenings, these 35mm films are subtitled in English, Spanish and Arabic. Some titles are available on DVD. Each year, thematic collections are created from this catalogue (see box: Cinema Collections 2005)

Films available on the internet

In collaboration with the company “Le meilleur du cinéma français” (“The Best of French Cinema”), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has implemented a world first: an internet portal that enables the French cultural network to access films via downloads and to organise public screening more easily throughout the world. In 2005, a hundred or so feature-length films were available on this site, some of which figured among the most prominent in French independent film in the last few years.

To discover the list of available films and the conditions for use, visit: www.universcine.com

Backing commercial distribution

The ministry supports Unifrance Film’s initiative within the scope of its agreement to organise events dedicated to the commercial promotion of French cinema, notably backing audiovisual associates based in Peking, Moscow, Budapest, Prague, Mexico City, Havana, Johannesburg, Jakarta, etc.

It also supports the screening of French and European films in cinemas across Eastern-Europe through Europa Cinémas.

Supporting the production and distribution of films from the southern countries

Fonds Sud Cinéma:

Since its creation in 1984, the Fonds Sud Cinéma, financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Film Institute, has helped over 340 feature-film projects. This fund concerns producers from Africa, America, Latin America and the Near and Middle East, Asia (except Korea, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan) and some eastern European countries: (Albania, the former Yugoslavia and former Soviet Republics of central Asia).

The average sum awarded to a film is 110,000 euros, and can not exceed 152,000 euro and it must be earmarked for production or post-production in France funding.

Support for unknown filmmakers

Financed since 1983 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Film Institute (CNC), the fund ‘to support unknown filmmakers’ backs the distribution in French cinemas of films eligible for the Fonds Sud Cinéma. It provides financial aid to enable the French distributor to acquire the distribution rights and to pay the publishing fees. The films supported by the Cinema for the South Fund automatically qualify for this grant, which is fixed according to the distributor’s release agenda.

Financial support for festivals:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a partner of festivals, which participate in the distribution of cinema from the south, in France, i.e. Amiens International Film Festival, the 3 Continents Festival in Nantes, Cannes International Film Festival, the Biarritz CITA (the Latin-American Festival of Cinema and Culture), etc and in Africa: the FESPACO (Pan African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou) Burkina Faso, Black Screens in Cameroon and Image Life in Senegal).

Grants for professional training:

Numerous training projects for foreign students and professionals are organised each year in France and abroad in association with La Fémis (competitive international exams, summer schools) the Ecole Louis Lumière and Varan workshops.

The Fonds Image Afrique or Images Africa Fund (backing for film and television production):

Created in January 2004 as part of the Fonds Image Afrique, this fund supports film and television production (of all genres) in sub-Saharan Africa.

This funding for production or finishing a film may be spent in-situ and is allocated to the African producer by a commission of audiovisual professionals from the north and the south.

Africa Cinemas

This fund supports the distribution of African films in sub-Saharan Africa and was created in 2003 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Commission (EDF) and the Intergovernmental Francophonie Agency.

Africa Cinemas essentially offers 5 types of support:

  Support for the Pan African distribution of African films

  Support for the screening of African films in cinemas

  Support for equipping cinemas with 35mm and digital technology.

  Support for training of distributors and cinema owners

  Support for the structuring of distribution companies

Grants for Training:

As part of Plan Images Africa (Plan Images Afrique), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides assistance to the Regional Institute of Image and Sound (Institut Régional de l’Image et du Son, or IRIS) in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and the regional school for training in image and sound in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The Ministry also provides support for the organisation of training programs in writing and digital production and post-production techniques.

Promoting French cinema

Introduction

Promoting French cinema across the world is a priority of France’s cultural policy abroad. It concerns commercial and non-commercial distribution.

A series of 300 35mm feature-length films

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is putting 300 feature length films on the French overseas cultural network (cultural centres, film libraries, museums, universities, festivals). Destined for non-commercial public screenings, these 35mm films are subtitled in English, Spanish and Arabic. Some titles are available on DVD. Each year, thematic collections are created from this catalogue (see box: Cinema Collections 2005)

Films available on the internet

In collaboration with the company “Le meilleur du cinéma français” (“The Best of French Cinema”), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has implemented a world first: an internet portal that enables the French cultural network to access films via downloads and to organise public screening more easily throughout the world. In 2005, a hundred or so feature-length films were available on this site, some of which figured among the most prominent in French independent film in the last few years.

To discover the list of available films and the conditions for use, visit: www.mae.universcine.com

Backing commercial distribution

The ministry supports Unifrance Film’s initiative within the scope of its agreement to organise events dedicated to the commercial promotion of French cinema, notably backing audiovisual associates based in Peking, Moscow, Budapest, Prague, Mexico City, Havana, Johannesburg, Jakarta, etc.

It also supports the screening of French and European films in cinemas across Eastern-Europe through Europa Cinémas.