12/03/2003 - CNC reports that production stalled in 2002 after record 2001, but co-productions were up by 20 per cent

After a “record 2001”, French film production in 2002 fell slightly with 200 titles made (against 204 in 2001), 163 of which were made with a French majority participation, according to data presented on 11 March by David Kessler, MD of the National Film Centre (CNC).
One of the most significant facts to emerge from the report was the 20 per cent increase in foreign co-productions that resulted in 94 films being made in 2002. 24 countries invested a total of Euros182.47m in 57 French-majority and 37 French-minority participations. Importantly, French films reaped the most benefit from foreign investors who came up with a total of Euros79.8m, 30 per cent more than in 2001. Belgium was the biggest investor in French titles; with 15 co-productions, followed by the United Kingdom and Germany with, respectively, 10 and 9. The Italian contribution remained unvaried on 2001, with 9 while Spanish investment contributed to just 3 co-productions in 2002, compared to 11 in 2001.
The good news from Europe does not however compensate the 5 per cent fall in French film production, with a total investment of Euros860.7m. This is a consequence of the 10.6 per cent fall in pre-sales to French pay-TV Canal+, traditionally the biggest supporter of the Gallic film industry. In 2002, Canal+ spent Euros123m compared to Euros153m in 2001.
Despite more money flowing in from public terrestrial TV networks and an increase in first film production (fully 67 were made in 2002), 2002 was the first year to report a drop in film production funding after a five-year expansion period (with a Euros501m investment in 1996).

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(Translated from French)