17/03/2008

Film exporters have leapt to the defence of Unifrance in the debate (see news) triggered by a highly critical and much criticised report by Media Consulting Group on the activities of the agency for the promotion of French cinema abroad.

The ADEF (Association of Film Exporters) has in fact expressed "considerable reserve towards the recommendations and conclusions of this report", and considers that the authors have not "resisted the temptation to generalise in their analysis".

The association also laments the fact that the authors "have not carried out in-depth interviews with a representative panel of members of the ADEF, given that exporters are best placed to judge the state of the markets, the effect this has on changes in the French film industry and thus the appropriateness of Unifrance’s policy."

Reasserting the "essential role played by Unifrance and the importance of its campaigns for the promotion and distribution of French films abroad", the ADEF demands a central role in analysing its organisation and evolution.

The ADEF also underlines Unifrance’s current credibility: "Moreover, we often notice that our foreign colleagues envy the fact we can rely on such a tool".

ADEF members include Pathé, Gaumont, UGC, StudioCanal, Wild Bunch, Celluloid Dreams, Films Distribution, Pyramide, Rezo, Roissy Films, Memento, Bac, Wide, The Coproduction Office, Onoma, SND, TF1 International, EuropaCorp and MK2.

Unifrance has also drawn up a detailed counter report of around 30 pages, of which Cineuropa has obtained a copy. This scathing counter-analysis ("the inability of the authors to evaluate the work on the ground renders the conclusions of the said report invalid, as they are often false or distorted by the counter-truths put forward") is published in the shadow of the announcement that Unifrance is to have a new president.

According to our sources, Margaret Menegoz, who has been the president since 2003, will not ask for a new mandate in June. She would also like to change the statutes so that a non-producer may occupy the position and will be available to oversee the transition if need be. This suggestion has not been met with unanimous approval and adds a new dimension to the current debate.

(Translated from French)