27/10/2006

Second part of an interview with Michel Gomez, Director General of the ARP (Association of Authors, Directors and Producers), which is organising the Dijon Film Meetings, where a plethora of French and European professionals are meeting until Sunday.

What is ARP's point of view on the decreased number of films broadcast on general French channels?
On an international scale, France is an exception, the only country where so many films are shown on general channels. But one has to make a distinction between public and private broadcasters. Private broadcasters have the economic constraint of having to sell advertising space, so they have to look for more popular films, ones that are likely to reach a greater market share. The problem that cinema poses for them – in contrast to other competing audiovisual works – is that by definition a film is unique. It is therefore difficult to get an audience following with these films (aside from those that have a lot of success in theatres), who find themselves competing with series, football matches and Star Academy, for example. If we want private broadcasters to continue showing films, they have to be more imaginative in their choices.

On the other hand, public broadcasters have a responsibility and have to play their public service role, to be capable of “editorializing” cinema. We the professionals must find more freedom of programming by doing away with the certain amount of days when films cannot be shown (currently Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays). At present, Canal + is the only broadcaster to have the right to show films on Saturday evenings and they should definitely continue to have this right. But, on the other days, it is necessary to open up possibilities to allow the public service to be a little more dynamic.

How is it possible to preserve the French system of film production funding, which is seen as a model in Europe?
In France, we have a system of regulations that consists of several elements and which overlap with one another: quotas on broadcasters, investment obligations, the support fund and so on. When the environment changes, it is normal that the system follows suit, otherwise it becomes obsolete. And there are always issues to deal with because our system depends on the law.

For example, when the fiscal environment changes, the SOFICA (film and audiovisual industry finance companies) have problems. In the same way, when the market share for French films increases in cinemas, which is a good thing, it is necessary to adjust the support fund mechanisms accordingly. We shouldn't have a fixed view of the situation, it is a question of remaining vigilant but also of being capable of changing, not being conservative. Moreover, to defend this system, we have systematic and structural problems with Brussels, which is a reasoning of the internal market – straight cut competition. Now, the stronger the French system is, the more co-productions there will be with Germany, Spain and Italy because the systems are not mutually exclusive.

(Translated from French)