France

[FR] Minister of Culture presents measures to support recovery of cinema and audiovisual sectors

IRIS 2020-9:1/8

Amélie Blocman

Légipresse

The cultural sector continues to be hit hard by the health crisis. On 23 September, the French Minister of Culture, Roselyne Bachelot, presented a set of measures to support the audiovisual and film industries.

The measures include, on the one hand, a EUR 50 million emergency fund managed by the Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée (National Centre of Cinematography and the Moving Image – CNC) to encourage cinema operators to resume their activities by offsetting the loss of box office revenues suffered by cinemas due to the drop in ticket sales from September to December 2020.

Under the France Relance plan, on the other hand, EUR 165 million out of a total of EUR 2 billion earmarked for the cultural sector will be allocated to the audiovisual and film industries: EUR 60 million will go to the CNC, fully offsetting its net tax revenue losses. This sum will make it possible to maintain the current level of support provided by all the CNC’s creation and distribution aid schemes. The other EUR 105 million will finance new emergency measures. These measures are part of a global recovery and structured modernisation strategy which will see EUR 34 million paid directly to cinemas in need of cash and modernisation. Film distribution companies will receive EUR 17.7 million to encourage new film releases, while EUR 38.4 million will be allocated to support film and audiovisual production.

These announcements back up promises made by the French Prime Minister, Jean Castex, at the end of August. Castex pointed out that the French film industry had to face numerous challenges, in particular the need to strengthen its cultural sovereignty. Foreign platforms must, with the transposition of the AVMS Directive, be subject to the French funding system for audiovisual production, especially independent production. The prime minister added that the government would ensure that media chronology was discussed by stakeholders in the very near future because the current release windows were no longer appropriate for the platforms, which were subject to new obligations.

On 27 August, the government also announced a EUR 432 million support plan for live entertainment. This plan is based on three main objectives: to allow the resumption of activity by adapting current health measures; to support private companies, artists, authors and public or subsidised establishments; and to restore confidence and encourage the public to return to theatres. Under the plan, EUR 220 million will go to private live entertainment companies, EUR 200 million will go to public companies, and EUR 12 million will go towards directly supporting creation and employment.