Former TF1 Group CEO and chairman Gilles Pélisson has gone by way of a baptism of fireplace this week in his new function of president at French movie and TV promotional physique Unifrance as he attends his first version of its annual Paris Rendez-vous.
In its twenty sixth yr, the occasion has lengthy been a must-attend occasion for cinema patrons searching for French movies. Greater than 420 cinema patrons from 50 nations are attending this version as 40 movie gross sales firms unveil their French slates for 2024.
Since 2022, the occasion additionally includes a TV market and screening program following Unifrance’s merger with TV France Worldwide in 2021.
Near 50 French audiovisual distribution firms have been presenting animation, documentary, and fiction to some 100 European patrons for the third yr.
Appointed in July, Pélisson took over from movie critic and former French Cinematheque head Serge Toubiana as Unifrance’s first president hailing from the audiovisual world.
Deadline sat down with Pélisson and Unifrance driving drive, managing director Daniela Elstner on the Paris Rendez-vous to speak about his arrival and worldwide challenges and ambitions for French cinema in 2024.
DEADLINE: Gilles, you’re the primary determine from the audiovisual world to take up the function of Unifrance president. What drew you to the function?
GILLES PÉLISSON: I’ve had two skilled lives. One within the tourism world, the place I used to be the chairman and CEO of Accor motels. This led me to journey all all over the world and find out about new cultures in addition to the way in which by which folks take a look at the French.
I then labored for Disney [as CEO of Disneyland Paris] which led me into the artistic world and related me with motion pictures and tv. At TF1, I used to be concerned in producing motion pictures and shopping for a studio, Newen. We additionally had the animation centered Blue Spirit manufacturing home.
After I determined to depart the company world as a result of, you understand, I’m 66, I began fascinated about my new life, what would it not be and the right way to keep related.
[Former TV France International president] Hervé Michel and Daniela did an awesome job in uniting cinema and tv inside Unifrance and after I heard about this function, I bought very excited. I assumed I might contribute one thing to the mission.
DEADLINE: What do you assume you’ll be able to convey and contribute Unifrance?
PÉLISSON: I’ve labored rather a lot with the platforms. At TF1, we did The Bonfire Of The Future (Le Bazar de la Charité) drama with Netflix and different tasks. So, Ted Sarandos, folks like that, I bought to know them… It’s all concerning the French cultural potential, the right way to broaden it and export it and the way, inside the worldwide context, to assist smaller gamers, European gamers exist.
DEADLINE: In your latter years at TF1, you have been outspoken concerning the detrimental affect you felt huge world platforms akin to Netflix and Amazon have been having on audiovisual European gamers. Do you continue to see them as a menace?
PÉLISSON: Issues have moved on. The French have made it an obligation for these firms to provide in France [under its application of Europe’s Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSVD)] which is a serious step. That began a complete new course of and a kind of cooperation that I believe all people may be very blissful about. Further cash is coming in and facilitating French expertise, whether or not they’re a producer, director or an appearing expertise.
There are nonetheless issues we must be vigilant about: transparency of the figures is certainly one thing we have to work on collectively. Not understanding how a lot a movie has achieved at house or worldwide places producers at a drawback in terms of negotiating charges and phrases. The opposite huge points are AI and the transfer to finish geo-blocking in Europe.
DEADLINE: Daniela, Unifrance kicked off the Paris Rendez-vous with its conventional presentation of the annual worldwide field workplace figures for French cinema. The report revealed a 37.8% hike in world receipts to $256M gross. The numbers are encouraging however stay 19% under 2019. Do assume the market will ever return to pre-pandemic ranges? What’s your take available on the market for the worldwide marketplace for French cinema now?
DANIELA ELSTNER: That’s arduous to foretell however what I can see is that there’s sturdy attendance on the Rendez-vous and I get folks coming to me on daily basis thanking us for making it occur. You simply want to take a look at the visitors across the cubicles to see it’s actually buzzing. 2020 and 2021 have been tough however since 2022 it’s been coming again. I keep in mind one of many Italian distributors telling me two years in the past that even when they misplaced 10% of their theatrical public it could be superb as a result of there can be different methods to monetize the movie, even when the TV state of affairs stays tough in Italy.
I believe the massive challenge for gross sales stays minumum ensures. These have decreased and producers can not essentially look to them as earlier than.
Nearly each European distributor who counts is right here, watching movies and promos, studying scripts. Berlin movies are being pre-sold. So, there may be positively a need for French movies. The success of movies like Anatomy Of A Fall can even solely assist. They confirmed some pictures right here final yr and expectations have been excessive it could be sturdy, however no-one might foresee the extent of its success. That’s the fantastic thing about cinema.
PÉLISSON: I believe what the additionally examine confirmed was the range of French cinema, it’s selection and richness. On the one aspect you’ve got successful animation like Miraculous, then Anatomy of a Fall, and then you definitely Jeanne du Barry and The Three Musketeers – D’Artagnan. They’re very several types of motion pictures
DEADLINE: One of many extra stunning revelations of the examine was that Russia was the highest territory for French cinema in 2023, despite its close to frozen political relations with Europe proper now attributable to its warfare on Ukraine. How do you’re feeling about this at Unifrance?
ELSTNER: It’s one thing now we have management over however our guidelines are very clear round how we as a corporation deal with Russians. We don’t invite them to the Rendez-vous but when they arrive below their very own steam, they will get an accreditation so long as it’s clear that they’re not related with the federal government.
DEADLINE: A whole lot of Russian cinema professionals with sturdy European connections are actually residing exterior of the nation. How do you determine whether or not to categorize them as Russian or not?
ELSTNER: We take a look at the place their firms are based mostly and the place they’re doing enterprise. We even have long-time Russian Rendez-vous attendees additionally purchase for different nations.
It’s difficult. I’ve been fascinated about the controversy myself. On Monday’s, [producer] Bertrand Faivre advised a debate on the Unifrance Expoert Day that it could be implausible if his movies [tackling issues such as tax evasion, police violence and whistleblowing] have been confirmed in Russian as a result of they might open minds.
On the opposite aspect, we added Ukrainian subtitles to the movies in our on-line competition MyFrenchFilmFestival and have a much bigger platform in Ukraine.
DEADLINE: However there’s not partnership between the competition and Russia anymore?
ELSTNER: No, in fact not.
DEADLINE: It was attention-grabbing to study that you just had opened up the Paris Rendez-vous to Latin American professionals this yr. What was the considering behind this?
ELSTNER: We used to run a market along with the opposite European our bodies in cooperation with the Miami Movie Pageant, inviting all of the Latin American patrons. It’s stopped for numerous causes. We determined to invited these patrons to the Paris Rendez-vous as a substitute as a check. For our European friends, we solely pay the lodging however for the Latin American patrons, we’ve all the time helped with the journey , working with native branches of the French Institute and embassies to assist cowl the associated fee.
DEADLINE: Admissions for French cinema rose 12% in North American to 1.9M in 2023. How do you see this market?
ELSTNER: The U.S. stays an important market and companion for French cinema. Even when the field workplace has decreased through the years, you solely have to take a look at our presence on the platforms and within the festivals. We’re within the Oscars race [with entry The Taste of Things and Anatomy Of A Fall, which has been positioned in other categories]. We additionally work with the Worldwide Emmy Awards. The following huge occasion on our agenda is Rendez-Vous with French Cinema in New York in March which is necessary for us.
DEADLINE: Will you each be going this yr?
ELSTNER: Sure we’ll each there, after which Gilles will go on to L.A. for conferences after which the Oscars.
PÉLISSON: A French delegation went to L.A. a few months in the past to current the federal government’s 2030 technique, with all of the actors – such because the CNC – concerned in growing French manufacturing capabilities. This had an awesome resonance with all the main platforms. Everybody attended as they’re now producing in France as a result of they’re a part of the system. I believe all of them wished to listen to how the French authorities is embracing the implementation of studios. There was a time when it was solely Britain and now France is positioning itself.
