Four major French film organizations are calling on candidates in the 2027 presidential election to make cinema a “strategic priority,” warning that the country’s film model faces growing political and economic pressure. Their manifesto, sent to Agence France-Presse on Wednesday, November 4, sets out 12 commitments to protect the sector.
The signatories represent screenwriters, producers and directors. They include the civil society group Auteurs réalisateurs producteurs, the Independent Production Union, the Society of Film Directors and the Union of Film Producers. The organizations say cinema should be recognized as a strategic asset and raise concerns about what they describe as an ideological battle over the industry.
Their appeal comes amid criticism by the National Rally (RN) of the National Centre for Cinema and the Moving Image (CNC), as well as the party’s stated desire to privatize public broadcasting. Director Pierre Jolivet, vice-president of Auteurs réalisateurs producteurs, told AFP he was concerned about the hostility directed at the film industry and said cinema had largely disappeared from political debate.
The manifesto’s first proposal is to enshrine “French and European cultural sovereignty” in the Constitution. The groups say this would protect France’s cultural exception and help guarantee an independent public audiovisual service with stable, adequate funding.
They also call for the CNC’s resources to be protected. The centre is funded through dedicated taxes, including levies on cinema tickets and streaming platforms operating in France, and redistributes money to support creative work, primarily film. The manifesto proposes limiting this aid to companies with a French or European majority, a restriction that is not currently in place.
Other priorities include maintaining the intermittent work system for cultural workers and strengthening the media release window, which gives films a period in cinemas before they become available on television or paid platforms.
The organizations also point to concerns over the finances of Canal+ and France Télévisions, two major sources of funding for French cinema. A proposed increase in VAT on Canal+ in the 2027 budget was rejected by lawmakers, while France Télévisions faces a reduction in its allocation. More than 170 prominent filmmakers signed a separate appeal in mid-October warning that the industry could be weakened.
The signatories say they plan to launch a campaign of four short films in cinemas early next year. They argue that supporting a broad range of film projects, including those that do not become commercial successes, is important to the industry’s ability to produce successful films.
Sources: Le Monde Culture.