Public broadcasters bolster support for cinema

by Fabien Lemercier

03/09/2009 - Associations of French producers (APC, UPF) have something to smile about today with public television group France Télévisions’ announcement to increase investment funding from 2009–2012 in film co-production and pre-sales.

France 2 Cinéma and France 3 Cinéma will have invested €56.9m in film production in 2009, set to rise to €57.53m next year, €58.39m in 2011 and €59.27m in 2012.

France 2 Cinéma backed 29 features (among which seven debut films) for the sum of €32.71m last year, compared to France 3 Cinéma’s 23 (including six debut projects) for €22.2m. The list of supported titles in 2008 by public television feature Haneke’s Cannes Palme d’Or winner The White Ribbon [trailer, film focus], Audiard’s A Prophet [trailer, film focus] (Cannes Grand Prize winner) and Frears’ Chéri [trailer, film focus].

(Translated from French)