A hundred filmmakers are worried about an upcoming agreement with platforms like Netflix, which could “
destroy
” the French cinema financing system, by upsetting the chronology of the media, this regime which governs the successive release of films in theaters. , on DVD, on television.
To read also: Cinema: the chronology of the media, victim of the coronavirus?
"
On March 31, the government risks endorsing a decree particularly favorable to streaming platforms by offering them an advantageous place in the chronology of the media, in return for derisory investments in the cinema
", they fear in a tribune au
Monde
published on March 10.
Among the signatories are Olivier Nakache, Jacques Audiard, Houda Benyamina, Michel Hazanavicius, Agnès Jaoui, Arnaud Desplechin and Rebecca Zlotowski.
The use of platforms in the financing of cinema has been a sea serpent for months.
A European directive, transposed into French law by ordinance in December, changes the situation by paving the way for a mandatory contribution from digital players, on the model of what exists for television channels, under conditions that will be defined by decree.
In exchange for their investment obligations, platforms will be able to benefit from a relaxation of the media chronology, and release films faster after their theatrical release, whereas they must wait 36 months currently.
Passage in force
The ordinance published in December obliged the actors of the sector to negotiate a new agreement on this burning issue within a period, which remained to be fixed by decree, of six months maximum, otherwise the government would decide.
A decree issued on January 28 then gave them until March 31 to reach an agreement.
If the transposition of the European directive had been welcomed at the end of 2020 with relief in the world of cinema, now filmmakers are worried about its implementation.
The latter fear that the platforms will take the opportunity to negotiate a new media chronology that would be too favorable to them, in relation to the ecot they would pay.
They warn the government against a passage in force, without the agreement of the professionals, which would come "to
weaken the historical partners
", and in particular Canal +, principal financier of the cinema.
"
As it stands, (the project) risks weakening an ecosystem on which our cultural sovereignty is nonetheless based
", they underline.
"
The platforms are welcome to strengthen this ecosystem, but we will not sign an agreement that would risk destroying it,
" they warn.
For its part, Canal + filed an appeal at the end of February before the Council of State against the ordinance.
In the sights of the group, according to the daily, the brief delay imposed on negotiators to find a new agreement on the chronology of the media before the government takes back control, while the previous agreement runs until the end of 2022.
