23/01/2014 - Decrease by 7.2 % of investments to 1.25 Bn €, reduction in the number of international co-productions and a slow down on big budgets

Slight decrease in the French cinematographic production in 2013 after the record in 2012 (279 features). According to numbers unveiled by the CNC, 270 films were approved last year including 209 Films of French initiative (FFI – a stable number when compared to 2012) and 61 minority co-productions (-9).

While the number of 100% French films continued to progress (154 versus 150 in 2012), international co-productions have decreased with 166 features (versus 129 in 2012) produced with at least one other foreign country.  

Investments also give ground with 1.25 billion € (982.68 M€ from France and 263.17 M€ from abroad), that is 7.2 % less than in 2012. And this trend seems to grow since it had already lost 3.4 % the previous year. In more detail, the FFI received 1.02 Bn € (-4.3 %) in 2013 and foreign incentive films 225.67 M€ (-18.4 %).

The average budget (total budget divided by the number of films) of the FFI decreased by 4.3 % and is at its lowest in 10 years: 4.88 M€. But it is especially the median budget (an amount for which 50 % of the FFI present a superior budget and 50 % an inferior one) which is striking, with a decrease by 22.5% to 2.49 M€.

Fuelled by a few spectacular counter-performances in the box-office, the heated debates that stirred the French industry since the end of 2012 about the profitability and excessive costs of some French films (read the article) seems to have already taken their toll with a noticeable slow down in the production of big budget films: only 19 FFI (the lowest number in ten years) exceeded 10M€ in budget in 2013 versus 33 in 2012.

However, there is a rise in the number of features budgeted between 7 and 10 M€ (from 22 in 2012 to 29 in 2013), as well as those budgeted between 4 and 7 M€ (28 feature last year versus 25 in 2012) and between 1 and 4 M€ (from 71 to 79 films).

(Translated from French)