27/09/2005

At its 60th congress, which began today in Deauville, the National Federation of French Cinemas (FNCF) which includes almost all of the 5302 French screens decided to organise this afternoon a debate on "The challenges for exhibitors around the world". Among the debaters are the president of the Association of American distributors and numerous members of Unic (International Union of Cinemas). This organisation, created in 1964, groups together numerous national distributors associations from fourteen countries, principally European (Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, Uk , Holland, Italy, Norway, Switzerland, Israël, Hungary). In total, Unic represents more than 25 000 screens and around 900 million annual admissions, lending it a certain credibility in the discussions currently being held within the profession: digital projection (the cost and the set-up are seens for now as inhibitive) and pirating.

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Invited byJean Labbé, president of the FNCF and president adjoint of Unic, the European participants at the round table included the Dutch Ad Weststrate (president of Unic since June 2005) and his predecesseur Jan Van Dommelen, respectively leader and European chargé des affaires for the Nederlandse Vereniging van Bioscoopexploitanten (NVB) which brings together the dutch exhibitors. Also taking part at Deauville: from Spain Rafael Alvero (president of the Federación de Entidades y Empresarios de Cine de España - FEECE), from Italy Fabio di Luca (vice-president of Unic), from Austria Kurt Kaufmann(director of the Austrian Exhibitors Association ) and Georg Mayrhofer (European chargé des affaires), from Norway Lene Loken (director of the Norwegian association of municipal cinemas), the new president of the Danish exhibitors Kim Pedersen, John Wilkinson who acts as chief representative at the heart of the UK Cinema Exhibitors' Association, and Maud van de Velde (Kineopolis Film Distribution). Members of Unic have another battleground: the promotion and protection of cinemas across all media with regard to the exploitation of films (DVD, video, pay TV, free access television, VOD…).

The FNCF congress runs for three days and honours this year Jacques Perrin who had success as an actor, filmmaker (Microcosmos) and producer (Les Choristes with Galatée Films). On Thursday, the distributos present their line-ups to exhibitors searching for films likely to reinvigorate admissions.

(Translated from French)