24/09/2009

The directors of the national film agencies across Europe – the EFADs – have issued a statement claiming an urgent and comprehensive public support for the digitalisation of cinemas.

According to EFAD, about one-third of European cinemas could disappear if a quick and effective intervention does not take place. The aim of public support is for Europe to maximise the benefits that digitisation can bring, notably broader access to a wider range of films.

Considering that there is no one-size-fits-all approach valid for every country and region in Europe, the EFADs have synthesised their concerns and demands in seven points aimed at strengthening Community and national regulation and support policies for the digitisation of European cinemas:

The seven points are:

1. The main purpose of the digitisation of cinemas is to ensure that the public has the best possible access to the widest possible range of films in as good or better quality as the public is used to getting with 35mm.

2. Public policies are to ensure fast and effective digital roll-out.

3. This is why EU and national support for digitisation cannot be restricted a priori to only certain kinds of cinemas in certain localities and only certain approaches to programming.

4. Schemes should not impose a particular technical solution, although schemes should take into account the technological state-of-play in the sector. Whatever the technological solution envisaged, it should offer tangible public benefits, for example, facilitating the circulation of films and access by the public to those films.

5. The level and form of support required will vary from country to country and region to region, and support should be appropriate to national and local conditions. The EFADs would hope that the European Commission, as well as public sector funding bodies throughout Europe, will take the opportunity offered by digitisation to help improve cinemas’ coverage and the range of films shown.

6. Public intervention should include both EU and national measures. It has so far been left up to European Union Member States to come up with arrangements, without a significant contribution at the EU level by way of either a financial backup programme (for example a European credit guarantee system) or a support action with adequate reach provided by the MEDIA Programme.

7. The challenge of digitisation is not limited to the digitisation of cinemas but also involves making available digital copies of films and the provision of films online. Public support, therefore, must also address these areas.