Newly Elected CNC President Gaëtan Bruel Warns: "Fear Drives Attacks on Our Cultural Foundation"
In an upcoming shakeup at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, Gaëtan Bruel, newly-appointed president of the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (CNC), is planning to create a consultation body between distributors and exhibitors to extend films' theatrical runs. As political tensions rise globally, with figures like Donald Trump pushing for taxes on films not produced in the US and American cinema lobbies criticizing the cultural exception, Bruel defends France's model and emphasizes European unity [1].
While the threat of Trump's proposed tax looms, Bruel also sees potential opportunities in Asia, particularly China. The first few months following the festival may be a sluggish start, but, much like in 2024, an uptick in attendance is expected towards the latter part of the year, thanks to a more enticing lineup [2].
Despite the current 6% decrease in cinema admissions in France [3], reaching 55.8 million, experts predict a return to pre-COVID-19 levels in the near future. To fend off competition from streaming services, the global cinema industry is exploring various strategies, such as luxury settings, extra content, and personalized experiences [4].
Now, as the cinephile world watches, Bruel aims to bring distributors and exhibitors together, hoping the joint efforts will not only strengthen the French model but also extend the lifeline of films on the silver screen. Stay tuned to see how this bold move changes the game at Cannes and beyond.
[1] https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/27/donald-trump-submits-plan-to-raise-tariffs-on-europe-movie-and-tv-creations.html[2] https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/15/world/france-cinema-attendance-record/index.html[3] https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-62255276[4] https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/jan/21/the-cinema-is-closed-does-it-really-matter-anymore
- Gaëtan Bruel, with the upcoming Cannes Film Festival, seeks to establish a consultation body involving distributors and exhibitors, aiming to prolong the theatrical runs of movies-and-tv, part of the entertainment sector.
- Amidst global political tensions, as figures like Donald Trump advocate for taxes on foreign films, Bruel championed France's film model and stressed the importance of European unity in policy-and-legislation and general-news debates.
- The proposed tax from Trump could pose a threat, but Bruel sees potential in the Asian market, especially China, regarding the Cannes Film Festival.
- An initial sluggish start is expected in the festival's opening months, yet there's optimism for an attendance boost towards the end of the year, due to a captivating lineup.
- Despite the 6% decrease in cinema admissions in France, reaching 55.8 million, experts foresee a swift return to pre-COVID-19 levels in the near future.
- Amidst competition from streaming services, the global cinema industry is exploring means to stay relevant, such as luxury settings, extra content, and personalized experiences.
- With the collaboration between distributors and exhibitors, Bruel hopes to fortify the French model, extend films' lifespan on the silver screen, and potentially reshape the movie industry, going beyond the boundaries of the Cannes Film Festival.
