03/10/2005

Revealed by the minister for Culture Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, the budget for 2006 of the National Film Centre (CNC) rose to 537,4 million euros (5,4 million more than in 2005). These credits total 495,5 million euros (+0,9%) of support to the cinema and audiovisual industries which is covered by more than 113 million brought in by the tax on a cinema ticket (almost 11% of the ticket price), around 338 million from the tax on audiovisual broadcasters and 44 million on audiovisual publishers (2% of the retail price of video and VOD). In terms of share-out, 264 million euros are destined for the film sector, of which 153 million is Fast-track Aid (70 million to producers, 19 to distributors, 56,5 to exhibitors and 7,5 to video publishers) and 98,6 million of Selective Aid, favouring the renewal of the art.

Marking the publication of the budget, the minister for Culture took the opportunity to underline the value of the two measures taken in 2004 and 2005: the tax credit in favour of film production which was extended to include audiovisual this year, and the development of regional funds. He also underlined that in 2005, over and above the resources from the aid fund (491 million euros last year), almost 110 million euros was injected into film production, of which 44 million was regional funds, 73 million euros for tax credit and the remainder went to SOFICA (financing companies in the cinema and audiovisual industries) for which the ceiling of 46 millions euros will be raised to encourage risk-taking and the support for young artists. Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres also revealed that 2200 jobs had been created or saved in the film business due to the re-localisation of shoots in France encouraged by the tax credit. Finally, he insisted on the necessity of maintaining means in favour of cinema heritage (film restoration and Cinémathèques activities) and to look after author’s rights in the digital Internet domain and on mobile phones, battling piracy and helping in the promotion of legal offers online.

(Translated from French)