24/10/2002 - Just 2 weeks' programming, small productions are being hard-hit by market forces. And its getting harder to source funding

Times are hard for small film productions. The problems include pressure on exhibitors, impoverishment and growing difficulties in accessing financing. According to an investigation carried out by French daily newspaper, “Le Monde”, films currently have just two weeks to ensure their survival in French cinemas compared to a few years ago when the time for the positive word-of-mouth to kick in was two months. The result is that exhibitors are more cautious and tend to rely on major productions; there is an inflation of both distributors’ promotional campaigns and the number of prints in circulation as well as a growing tendency to concentrate film releases into specific windows of opportunity, thus effectively diminishing any chance of success a small film might have.
The finance sector is another cause for concern. This year, all of Canal+’s obligatory investments in small-budget films (Euros 5.34 million or under) share the same strange characteristic. According to ARP – the French authors’ and directors’ association - the CNC’s “Commission d’Agrément” (Commission for Authorisation) reported that during the first six months of 2002, a total of eleven films were produced, each of which was budgeted at exactly Euros 5.34 million. The growing complexities of accessing the Soficas and the “avance sur recette” (advance on B.O. take) and the reluctance of banks to invest in European co-production only fuel this climate of suspicion.
All French film professionals have asked that an organism to help producers understand financing mechanisms and European juridical and fiscal statutes be created. And before long the CNC and Unifrance could well set up just such an office.

(Translated from French)