26/04/2013 - A generally stable feature film production, but lower budgets in the first quarter, according to the Observatoire of the Ficam

Singled out in the 2012 balance-sheet (news), the increasing bipolarisation in French cinematographic production between large and small budget films, with the number of mid-range films showing a sharp decline, seems to be confirmed during the first quarter of 2013 according to the Observatoire Métiers et Marchés of the Ficam (Fédération des Industries du Cinéma, de l'Audiovisuel et du Multimédia).

If the level of French production is stable (38 feature films from January 1st to March 31st, versus 41 for the same period in 2012), budgets have decreased by 18%, if Supercondriaque by Dany Boon is excluded (with the highest budget by far at 31 M€). And while the number of films with budgets under 4 M€ increased by 25% in the first quarter as compared to 2012, feature films costing between 4 and 7M € are still on the decline.

The good news is the beginning of a decline in the rate of delocalization for the filming of movies of French initiative: 34% in the first quarter of 2013 versus 43% over the same period in 2012. This decline is explained by the Ficam as anticipation on the part of producers of implementation of the tax credit reform and its retroactivity to January 1st, 2013. Nevertheless, this reform has not yet received final validation from the European Commission. This is a cause for concern for members of the French movie industry, which adds to the Franco-French battle currently being fought with regard to the collective convention that defines work conditions in cinematographic production (article) and which a mediator is currently trying to resolve. 

(Translated from French)