22/11/2005

The annual bilateral meetings organised within the framework of the Franco-German Film Academy founded in June 2000 by Gerhard Schroeder and Jacques Chirac have just been held for the third time this week-end (18-20 November) and this year, after two editions in Lyon, they took place in Germany, Cologne exactly. Besides reinforcing the Franco-German friendship, they also enhanced the notion of diversity.

Over 300 professionals and several French and German regional funds (including the Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, represented by Kirsten Niehuus, the Hamburg fund and Île de France one) were present at this event presided over by Margaret Menegoz (Unifrance President and manager of Les Films du Losange) and supported by the French Centre National de la Cinématographie, the German Federal Film Board, German Films, Unifrance, North-Rhine Westphalia Filmstiftung, ARTE, WDR, and the City of Cologne. The several workshops, panels and case studies allowed the participants to discuss co-production and financing related issues. The attending producers and directors were given the opportunity to pitch their projects for potential partners and learn more about state aids and regional funds. Some debates focused on programming policies for public and private TV channels.

The subject of promoting European films in France and Germany (notably on public radio and TV) was not neglected either. In fact, the importance of diversity was unanimously agreed upon, a position which reflects the general satisfaction about the UNESCO convention which was adopted in October.

(Translated from French)