21/07/2003

After nine years as head of the French National Film Commission (CNF), the agency that promotes audiovisual production throughout the country, producer Alain Terzian is quitting. His successor will be named at the next scheduled board meeting on 15 September. In the meantime the CNF is experiencing some difficulties both in terms of its credibility and resources caused by a growing trend for productions to choose foreign locations.

Alain Terzieff , who is also the president of the Film Producers' Guild (UPF) and the director of Alter Films, is leaving at a particularly delicate time when the CNF's annual budget stands at a paltry €600,000. Far too little to stem the haemorrhage of French productions abroad. At present 50 per cent of all French films are made on foreign soil, three years ago this figure was 15 per cent. Terzian will be temporily replaced by Frédéric Brillon (Epithète Productions).
Furthermore, the CNF's infrastructure was modified: from being run by UPF and USPA (the audiovisual producers' guild), the board now includes a representative of the French Film Producers' & Exporters' Confederation (CSPEFF) and one from the Independent Producers' Guild.

(Translated from French)