23/12/2002 - "Ecran Total" article about health of French film: 205 features skedded and more TVs involved in production

According to an article in the 18 December edition of cinema weekly, ‘Ecran Total’, the French film industry maintained record production levels for 2002 with 205 features made, 170 of which were French co-productions.
In 2002, 8 major productions, each budgeted at over Euros 15million, were made – the same number as in 2001. The titles were Deux frères by Jean-Jacques Annaud, Muraya by Jan Kounen (Euros36million), Les Tourtereaux by Francis Veber (Euros27.4million), Michel Vaillant by Louis-Pascal Couvelaire (Euros23million), Fanfan La Tulipe by Gérard Krawczyk (Euros21.7million), Monsieur N. by Antoine de Caunes (Euros16million) and Effroyables Jardins by Jean Becker (Euros15.3million).
The future of financing highlighted two important issues : the increase in both the number of films co-produced by TV networks and channels (but not pay-TV): over 100 in 2002 against 89 in 2001, and in the number of films that benefited from the so-called “avance sur recettes" ( or advances on box office takings): 55 features in 2002 against 50 in 2001. The report went some way to reassure the troubled French film industry and especially its independent producers and their numerous projects.

(Translated from French)