International co-productions boomed in 2010
With 118 co-productions with 36 countries (compared to 93 the previous year), from the 261 features accredited in 2010, the French film industry has achieved a high level of international openness according to results unveiled yesterday by the National Film and Moving Image Centre (CNC). A total €692.44m (+52.9%) was poured into financing these films, 60 of which were French majority co-productions (+15 over 2009) and 58 minority co-productions (+10).
Belgium emerges as the preferred partner for Gallic co-production, with 28 French majority and 11 minority co-productions, compared to an overall 21 in 2009. Interested in seeing whether the Belgian tax shelter may be the only reason behind this relationship, the CNC conducted a specific survey that analysed the development over five years of co-productions with Belgium and Luxembourg (five co-productions with France in 2010) financed without the French tax credit. Last year’s results were reassuring: only 12 of the 44 co-productions France made with both countries combined were funded with the French tax credit.
Italy is in second place among the partner countries, with 27 co-productions (seven French majority, 14 minority and six strictly financial co-productions), followed by Germany (10 majority co-productions, 13 minority).
Other important partners are Canada (ten co-productions in total), Spain (seven minority and two financial co-productions) and Switzerland (also nine). Two minority co-productions were also made with the United Kingdom, Sweden and Denmark.
Among the collateral effects of the rise in co-productions is an increase in shoot relocations for French majority co-productions: +33.1% more shooting days took place abroad in 2010, compared to an increased 12.2% of shooting days in France.
Standing out among the 2010 list of French minority co-productions are films by Lars von Trier, the Dardenne brothers, Paolo Sorrentino, Nanni Moretti, Emmanuele Crialese, Aki Kaurismaki, Ken Loach, Wim Wenders, Iciar Bollain, Alex de la Iglesia, Ulrich Seidl, Malgozata Szumowka, Emily Atef and Marian Crisan.
(Translated from French)
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