“We are in a crucial moment”: why did French cinema organize the States General?

A wind of revolt blow French cinema. At a time when the latter is going through a serious crisis, the professionals of the sector have gone to excess Act.

the 6 October 2022, much of the medium met at the Arab World Institute in Paris. In a room of 400 places full to burstdirectors, producers, actors, exhibitors, distributors, critics, spectators and students intervened during this day of reflection and call General States of Cinema.

“An alarm tone sounds”

“Time to shoot an alarm signalbehalf love for cinema. “ firmly stated producer Judith Lou Lévy (Atlantic, Zombie child) in the auditorium of the Arab World Institute.

This alarm signal extraordinary began to play May 17, 2022. Nearly 300 personalities from the world of cinema have signed a grandstand titled “The political choices of our institutions seriously weaken cinema”Calling for General states of French cinema.

Meeting of 6 October, the collective wanted to reaffirm the importance of a balance between art and industryresist the competition from streaming platforms it’s at neoliberal logic imposed on cinema by public authorities. Jack Lang (former Minister of Culture), Agnes Jaoui, Arthur Harari, Said Ben Said and hundreds of other professionals we were present.

The authority remained the great absent. ” The Ministry of Culture by Rima Abdul Malak and the CNC they are invited, but they did not reply “, The participants noted during this appeal day.

“We have to bring it back the spectators in the rooms “

For several months now, cinemas have known this a significant drop in attendance. In September, theaters reached 7.32 million spectators, lowest figure since the 1980s (not counting 2020).

In the dining room, the conclusion is clear: “We are at a crucial moment and in a emergency time. All of us, directors, actors, producers, exhibitors, distributors, viewers, we want to roll up our sleeves collectively. Need bring spectators back to theaters ” explained producer Etienne Ollagnier.

All afternoon, the pros have listed and analyzed the causes that caused this crisis. Among the reasons mentioned, we obviously mention the pandemic, which led to the closure of the theaters for almost a year. Considered “non-essential” by the government, the rooms also suffered more competition from platforms.

For Gautier Brusse, operator, gender inequalities those who afflict the cinema also participated fracture with the public. “The Polanski affair, the fiasco of the Caesars inequalities between men and women… All these factors create an antipathy of the spectators towards the rooms. “

A deviation from the CNC’s mission

The purpose of this event awesome had to prove that, despite the official speeches, ” Lthe evolution of our cultural policy poses a serious threat to French cinema “. In the presentation text, the signatories of the States General highlighted the excesses of the policies implemented by the CNC, whose head, Dominique Boutonnat, near Emmanuel Macronis currently on trial for sexual assault:

“The National Center for Cinema and the Animated Image has the founding mission of defending, promoting and developing cinema in France, in its pluralism of forms. We note a deviation from this missionthat goes accelerating.

The field of arts and culture, until then away from the logic of profitabilityit is now weakened and increasingly exposed assault on the marketeven within the institutions responsible for its defense. “

If this first demonstration aimed to challenge public authorities, other days will be organizedPurpose to establish a dialogue and of propose solutions to get out of this gloomy period. It remains only to hope that the CNC and the Ministry of Culture will eventually respond present.

Feature image credit: © Unsplash / Karen Zhao.