11/06/2003

The special funding commission “Avance sur Recettes” (“Box Office Advance”) is continuing the distribution of grants for 2003. Last Friday, after a consultation with the financial committee, David Kessler, the president of the National Film Centre (the CNC), announced the finance package agreed for 7 feature length films.

Five films will benefit from an advance on box office takings before shooting starts, with a grant of Euro 1.35m being divided between them. Rois et Reines by Arnaud Desplechin (produced by Why Not Productions) will be given Euro 450,000, while Animal by Pierre Erwan Guillaume (Movimento Productions) will receive Euro 420,000. Another three films will each be given a grant of Euro 160,000: Odessa ... Odessa by Michale Boganim (Moby Dick Films), Séquences Mongoles by Xavier Simon (Artcam International) and Darwin's Nightmare by Hubert Sauper (Mille et Une Productions).

In the category of completed feature length films to receive funding, there’s Saltimbank by Jean-Claude Biette, produced by Gemini Films, presented at the Quinzaine des réalisateurs, which has been awarded Euro 76,300. Finally the CNC has given Euro 100,000 to Tango Rashevski by Sam Garbarski (Archipel 35).

(Translated from French)