Claire Denis, Anne Tallineau • Director, CEO of the Institut Français
"We have an almost political interest in encouraging co-productions within Europe”
- Cineuropa met up with French director Claire Denis, patron of the 2015 edition of Fabrique des Cinémas du Monde, and Anne Tallineau, CEO of the Institut Français, who is organising it
Launched in 2009, the Fabrique des Cinémas du Monde, developed by the Institut Français and backed by the International Organisation of French-speaking Countries (Organisation internationale de la francophonie), is a professional programme organised as part of the Cannes Film Festival to enhance the international exposure of young filmmakers from countries from the south. Cineuropa met up with French director Claire Denis, patron of the 2015 edition, and CEO of the Institut Français Anne Tallineau.
Cineuropa: What is Fabrique des Cinémas du Monde?
Anne Talineau: Fabrique des Cinémas du Monde is a support workshop for the direction and production of films from all over the world. Out of over 200 applications received, we chose ten film projects with a director and producer of widely varying nationalities. We then offer them the chance to develop their project by providing them with guidance and assistance. Fabrique takes place during the Cannes Film Festival, which is the largest global market for cinema, and where it’s easy to get lost without the right map to guide you.
Claire Denis, you’re the patron of the 2015 edition. Why did you accept this role?
Claire Denis: To a great extent, it stemmed from the people who offered the position to me; I saw the passion and absolute commitment required to bring this edition of Fabrique to life. It’s also a way to make sure that we don’t lose sight of the situation of young filmmakers: we’re sharing the same things.
What do you think of the selected projects, and what do you hope to bring to them?
CD: Some really great projects have been chosen; I’m really impressed. These young filmmakers are already part of a team with a producer, and they already know the importance of the budget. I think the better we understand our budget, the more comfortable we are in the film we want to make. They are more prepared than I would have been at their age. They’re questioning the form of their work, asking themselves if their project is too personal, or not subjective enough. I’ll try to provide them with an environment of encouragement and confidence. If I’m enthusiastic, it’s sincere.
Do you stay updated on the projects after Fabrique?
AT: We don’t directly follow the filmmakers throughout their career unless they contact us, but for the moment, we don’t have a follow-up phase – perhaps we will in the future. However, connections are made. For example, more than two-thirds of the 2014 group’s projects have been produced. We very often find the projects backed by World Cinema Support, for which we are co-managers. It has also been an extremely prosperous year for World Cinema Support, seeing as no fewer than 17 films supported were presented at Cannes, 13 of them official selections.
For the most part, Fabrique projects need French co-producers. Why are co-productions so important?
CD: With the CNC, France was behind the advance on receipts idea, which meant that French cinema could flourish, and foster young filmmakers and film schools. It’s only normal for French producers or distributors to be interested in Chinese, Korean, Argentinean or Peruvian films because, thanks to this film organisation, France also has independent cinemas and distributors. It’s perhaps the only country on earth where you can see films from all over the world. There is no French hegemony, rather a great French system. We have to fight to defend it and encourage other countries to follow our lead.
AT: I think we have an almost political interest in encouraging co-productions within Europe, to create a European identity, a common heritage. European productions are extremely rich and diverse, but are still largely unknown from one country to another. Co-productions have also become more or less indispensable: today, international financing is a precondition, even for the big Hollywood studios. It’s a necessary means for producing films; international co-productions are therefore a strategic move.
(Translated from French)
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