10/12/2002

The entire French film industry is looking forward to the forthcoming Parliamentary debate on violence on television, that is scheduled to take place on 12 December. On Monday, 9 November, France’s five most important film institutions issued a joint press release signed Groupe 25 Images - the TV directors’ association; ARP - the writers’, directors’ and producers’ association; SACD – the Writers’, Composers’ and Dramatists’ Association; SRF - the Filmmakers’ Union and UGS – the Set Designers’ Guild.
The industry has united in the face of what they call the “demonism” of cinema and drama production initiated by the Kriegel Report into violence on TV. The five institutions stressed their “firm opposition to the parliamentary proposal that films be passed both by the Ministry for Culture and the Ministry for Social Affairs.
The industry is also calling for the ratification of the film ratings Commission, and for the current rules to be maintained and especially that films only be given an “18-or-over” rating” in exceptional circumstances.
Aside from this the industry representatives also want directors, set designers and directors to be admitted to the committee that reviews public and private TV programmes.
The aim of this protest is not, therefore, a hasty solution but rather greater and more intelligent focus on the issues surrounding the protection of children versus TV programmes.

(Translated from French)