Paris - Cinémathèque française, July 7-8th 2008

The French Ministry for Culture and Communication (CNC) held the first cultural symposium of the French Presidency of the European Union : “Cinema, Europe and the World”

Devising a film cooperation policy for the European Union and the world: this was the issue that over 200 participants coming from all over the world, among which famous artists such as actor Danny Glover, and directors Costa Gavras, Abderrahmane Sissako, Nabil Ayouch, Rity Pahn, Kim Hong Joon, or Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, were invited by the French Minister for Culture Christine Albanel and the Director of the National Centre for Cinematography Véronique Cayla to discuss on 7and 8 July 2008.

The debate took place in the framework of the implementation of the UNESCO Convention on cultural diversity, and whereas the European Commission is currently launching a programme to foster the circulation of world cinema in Europe and of European cinema in the world – the Media mundus programme.

Participants insisted on the need to implement a structuring and durable action that would be tailor-made and adapted to the different needs and expectations that vary greatly from one region of the world to another. Such action will complement the numerous initiatives that are already carried out at national level, and will enforce the principles of the UNESCO Convention on cultural diversity, namely: considering cultural goods and services in their dual nature, economic and cultural; leaving States with the possibility to implement cultural policies, even when this may imply a departure from the orthodoxy of commercial regulations; committing to cooperation, in particular with developing countries. In this perspective, the European Union was invited to rely on « pivot countries », i.e. on Southern partners that are particularly committed to the development of policies of protection and promotion of cultural expressions.

Such a requirement has gained an increased importance at a time when, in addition to launching support measures in the field of film cooperation, the European commission is negotiating trade agreements including specific annexes on film and culture.

The participants have called on an extreme vigilance, in particular from Member States, in order to make sure that these agreements stick to the UNESCO Convention on cultural diversity. They have worried about the fact that these agreements be negotiated by trade officials and not by the relevant services in charge of audiovisual and culture.

Overview

By ratifying the Unesco Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, the European Union has reaffirmed its desire to set cultural diversity at the top of its priorities and have culture play a crucial role in its dealings with other countries and regions of the world.

European cinema’s cultural diversity is a fertile source of creativity and a major asset for the EU, whose films thrive in international festivals. Such cultural diversity must be fostered outside of Europe’s borders in and among its partner countries in other regions of the world.

Now that the Unesco Convention is in force, the European Union has taken the first steps to implement and further develop concrete film cooperation initiatives with non-member countries.

In 2008, for the first time and on an experimental basis, the European Commission has launched a project for a film cooperation support policy, bringing together experts from the EU and non-member countries. This programme’s preparatory action, presently known as “MEDIA International“, will probably be called “MEDIA Mundus”. The European Commission’s consultation will conclude with a hearing on June 25, 2008 in Brussels. The French European Union Presidency Symposium is meant to complement this consultation (see links below).

Gathering over 200 experts, specialists and representatives of institutions from Europe and other continents, the Symposium, coordinated by the French Ministry of Culture (Centre National de la Cinématographie), will help establish a broad outline for future EU cooperation initiatives covering all aspects of the cinema industry.

The expiration of a number of regional cooperation programmes, such as the Euromed Audiovisuel II program, at year’s end 2008, makes this effort all the more imperative.

• The challenge for education is promoting diversity in cinematographic development, integrating the experience of the MEDIA and Euromed Audiovisual programme initiatives, and within Member states, to identify the most efficient actions and the countries or regions in most need of support.
• For production, past experience from bilateral co-production agreements and Member State international support funds should be used, to better establish how to foster transcontinental co-productions and promote cinematographic diversity.
• Lastly, film distribution and exhibition are major issues, since expressing cultural diversity only makes sense when it is received by a large audience.

Official links:
Overview of the MEDIA International preparatory action :
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/media/prep_action/index_en.htm
MEDIA Mundus audiovisual cooperation programme public consultation :
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/media/mundus/index_en.htm