08/07/2003

In spite of the many danger signals sounded this year, Gallic film production is still very much alive and well - even in a relatively disappointing year like the present.
According to the latest data released by the National Film Centre (CNC) for the period from 1 January-15 June 2003, 82 features were produced for a total investment of Euros415m, Euros87m of which from abroad.

The CNC data is an unexpected bonus for local industry operators and contradicts the widely held opinion that production was slowing down. The figures show that investment in film production for the first six months of 2003 was on a par with that of 2002: a record year when 72 features were produced for a total investment of Euros245m. In 2001, 83 titles were made at a cost of Euros398m.
Significantly, French-generated co-productions really took off: there were 33 in 2003 compared to 21 in 2002 and just 13 in 2001.
There is a downside: the growing divide between big budget titles and the rest. The average cost of producing a film in France now stands at Euros5.3m (it was Euros3.3m in 2002). In addition, big budget productions continue to attract a growing number of investors. The CNC report also reveals an increase in the number of films with a Euros2.3m-or-under budget while medium-budget titles are experiencing serious financial difficulties that are only exasperated by the high cost of filming and post-production in France with respect to more attractive packages on offer in countries like Belgium or Great Britain.

(Translated from French)