Members of the Cine-Regio network of regional film funds have backed 32 feature films and 4 shorts, which have been selected for the 70th edition of the Cannes Film Festival - but the network has issued a strong warning that the continuing threat of EU policy on the Digital Single Market puts these vital contributions in jeopardy.

The regional film have backed 8 of the 19 feature films in this year's main competition (out of 19), as well as the opening film, 4 films selected for the Special Screenings section and half of the 18 films screening in Un Certain Regard. On top of this, the film selected for the Children's Screening, Zombillenium [+leggi anche:
trailer
scheda film] by Arthur De Pints & Alexis Ducord - is supported by no less than three of the film funds in the network (Région Grand Est, France, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France, and Wallimage, Belgium). The network’s commitment to discovering new talent is also reflected in the Directors' Fortnight selection where five features (including two feature film debuts) and two short films have received funding. You can find all of them here.

“Having so many films screening in Cannes 2017 reflects the importance of regional film funds for the European audiovisual sector and highlights the significant financial contribution & role of the regional film agencies in creating and defending European cultural diversity. I am very proud of the members’ wealth of expertise and knowledge in selecting and supporting the directors, producers and films that enrich Europe’s film sector,” said general secretary of Cine-Regio Charlotte Appelgren. 

She added, “CineRegio is a strong advocate of a Europe where Cultural Diversity is considered an opportunity and a driving force for growth, employment and creativity, - a creative eco-system that should be celebrated and defended - also by the European Institutions in Brussels". But she warned that all these achievements are under threat because of the long-running push in some European institutions, for a Digital Single Market. "Some European Institutions are obsessed by an ill-considered and dangerous push towards a full Digital Single Market."

Cine-Regio, along with many leading film industry bodies, has explained over the years how a ban on geo-blocking would undermine the territorial sales of films, on which large amounts of European film production depends. The network wants a cultural exception for the audiovisual sector but instead, the European Parliament Committee has agreed (18 May) to a temporary exclusion with a review "within three years" to decided whether to impose a geo-blocking ban.

"This is extremely worrying," said Appelgren. "It highlights the sad fact that the European Institutions do not understand the film financing eco-system. Multi-territory licensing is already possible - we do not need to change the legislation to achieve that - you can already buy ”all Europe”! But nobody is doing it, because the European independent sector cannot afford it - and in any case for the majority of the films being made in the EU member states it doesn't make sense to "buy all Europe" looking from a business/market perspective. It is bizarre that the European Commission, the Council and many MEPs do not seem to want to accept the reality - nor leave it to the market to decide what is the best strategy for the selling and distribution of film product. Why choose to ban geo-blocking when it has proven to create cultural diversity?"

She continued, "Indeed digital technologies have enabled and supported changed consumer patterns regarding film. Digital technologies have created a demand culture. However, the European legislators seem to have missed the point: demand and new business opportunities are not going to be created by a decision to ban geo-blocking. A ban on geo-blockingwill destabilize the fragile European film production ecosystem. Bottom line is that soon we will stand at a cross-road where the European legislators - the Commission and MEPs - will have to choose between cultural diversity - as agreed upon via the UNESCO convention for the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions (ratified by the EU - but not the US!) - or achieving their dream of Digital Single Market for film product. MEPs and the European Commission have to understand that they cannot have both."