02/10/2008

Around 30 distributors will close the four-day 63rd Congress of the National Federation of French Movie Theatres (FNCF) in Bordeaux today with presentations of new clips from their line-ups. At the event yesterday, Véronique Cayla – director general of the National Film Centre (CNC) – reviewed the main developments in theatrical distribution.

Cayla pointed out that "audience figures are high in countries where domestic production is strong", such as in Germany, Norway, Russia, China and Japan. She added that for the second time since 1986, in French film could reach a domestic market share equal to that of US film.

The CNC director expressed delight at the recent awards bestowed on domestic productions (Bafta, Golden Globes, Oscars, Palme d’Or at Cannes and Best Actress at Venice). However, she deplored the negative impact of piracy on audience figures in theatres: 450,000 illegal downloads of French and foreign-language cinematic works take place every day in France.

Cayla thus urged film professionals to rally support for the government bill against illegal downloads (and its major tool: the graduated response system) and called for vigilance regarding the growing phenomenon of "camcording" (illegal recording of films in theatres). There is also a planned reopening of discussions about distribution windows to encourage the development of legal VOD services.

Unveiling further educational initiatives to promote film in schools, Cayla also outlined the future reform of the CNC, which will have a board made up of representatives from ministries and magistrates, as well as a committee of professionals.

Finally, on the subject of digital projection, the CNC general director specified that the potential of 3-D films to attract audiences should be regulated on the pricing front. She welcomed the creation of the Independent Collective for Digital (Afcae, APC, Dire, SPI, ARP, SRF, Europa Cinema) and expressed her belief that a mutualisation is necessary so that "all theatres can equip themselves with digital projectors, not just those whose finances allow it".

The FNCF Congress – which paid homage to Cédric Klapisch – also gave exhibitors the chance to see avant-premiere screenings of François Dupeyron’s With A Little Help From Myself [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (set to be released on November 26 by ARP Sélection), Philippe Muyl’s Magique! [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Paramount Pictures France - October 22), Michel Delgado’s Bouquet final [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Gaumont - November 5, Agnès Varda’s The Beaches of Agnes [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Les Films du Losange - December 17) and Mes Stars et moi [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Studio Canal Distribution - October 29).

(Translated from French)