16/01/2003

France 2 Cinéma, the film production arm of French state broadcaster France 2, enjoyed an extraordinary run of success in 2002. The co-productions it boarded were seen by 30 per cent of French filmgoers. France 2 Cinéma has earmarked Euros 27m to produce 30 films, six of which are first films, in 2003.
France 2 Cinéma coproductions easily beat off the competition from rival TV companies and set a new record for the most feature films seen by more than 1 million filmgoers and three of its films, François Ozon’s 8 Women [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Alain Barberian’s Le Boulet and L’auberge espagnol by Cédric Klapisch each attracted more than 2 million.
The quality of France 2 Cinéma productions was furthermore rewarded when Roman Polanski won the Palme d’Or in Cannes last year for The Pianist, to which France 2 bought the TV broadcast rights.
2003 appears to have got off to a great start for Pierre Héros’ company, where filmmaking diversity is welcomed and rewarded by French audiences voting for France 2 Cinéma films with their feet.
Their 2003 co-production line up includes “sure-fire” hits like François Ozon’s Swimming Pool [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Jean-Paul Rappeneau’s Bon voyage [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Jean Becker’s Effroyables jardins as well as the latest from Alain Resnais, Emir Kusturica, Manoel de Oliveira, Ermanno Olmi, André Téchiné, Youssef Chahine, Anne Fontane and Tonie Marshall.
This catholic selection of auteur-driven titles will enable France 2 Cinéma to work with 26 distinct producers and alongside France 3 Cinéma for high-budget co-productions.

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(Translated from French)