Although merger plans between TF1 and M6, France’s leading commercial networks, were abandoned due to anti-trust challenges, many independent players still fear that they’ll be wiped out or lose their bargaining power unless they join a bigger group.
Alluding to the increasing power of streamers on the French industry, Jaoui said “streamers are on track to achieve what American cinema hasn’t in 100 years and are doing with our consent.” Levy said it was the big exhibition chains that profited the most from the rescue subsidies instated by the CNC during the pandemic, and yet “they are the ones who now claim they want to show some e-sport events instead of our films.” The French box office is currently down 28.7% on 2019 and theatrical admissions reached a low point in September — a 42-year record low .
He said “no other country welcomes such a flurry of diverse movies,” and cited some of France’s many filmmakers who have emerged and thrived, from Alice Diop who won the Golden Lion and Lion of the Future at Venice, and Rebecca Zlotowski, whose latest film “Other People’s Children,” which also competed at Venice, is performing well in theaters.
French cinema has sadly lost its way.