The Short Film Producers’ and Exporters’ Committee is elected every two years during the first six months of the year following the Ordinary General Assembly.

The Short Film Producers’ and Distributors’ Council elects 12 representatives to form the Short Film Committee, whose President and Deputy President sit on the Board of Directors, and whose President also sits on the Executive Committee.

In addition to granting subtitling aid, the Short Film Committee reviews and submits recommendations relating to any aspect of uniFrance’s short film program. Proceedings of all meetings are recorded in Minutes.
The following Short Film Committee members were elected on June 19, 2006:
Olivier BERLEMONT - President - Les Films au Long Cours – o.berlemont@longcours.fr
Jean-Christophe SOULAGEON – Vice-President - Les Films Sauvages – jcs@filmsauvages.com
Martine VIDALENC - Les Fées Productions – vidalenc.m@wanadoo.fr
Nicolas BREVIÈRE - Local Films – localfilms@free.fr
Alexandre CHARLET - Les Films du Cygne – alexandre@swanpublicite.com
Christophe DELSAUX - La Vie est Belle Films Associés – cdelsaux@lavieestbellefilms.fr
Ron DYENS - Sacrebleu Productions – ron@sacrebleuprod.com
Sébastien de FONSÉCA - Château-Rouge Production – s.defonseca@chateau-rouge.info
Antoine GANDAUBERT - Karé Productions – a.gandaubert@kareprod.fr
Jean-Charles MILLE - Distributeur - Premium Films – jcm@premium-films.com
Jean-Christophe REYMOND - Aurora Films – jean-christophe@aurorafilms.fr
Justin TAURAND - Les Films du Bélier – lesfilmsdubelier@free.fr
Morad KERTOBI – Ex-officio member - CNC – morad.kertobi@cnc.fr

Following a proposal made by the President after his election in June 2006, Committee members also take part in the following thematic work groups, in association with Christine Gendre:

Festivals and Markets
Jean-Christophe Soulageon – Jean-Christophe Reymond
This group is currently compiling a review of all film festivals currently benefiting from Unifrance support. The aim is to discontinue support to certain events in order to extend support to others, such as internationally renowned festivals programming media other than film format. We will also work alongside festivals with a view to developing a common digital registration system modeled on Unifrance registration forms for short films currently completed by producers. For events holding a film market, a survey was conducted at the most recent markets with the aim of choosing those events at which uniFrance should be represented by a designated producer, and those to which we should send a distributor to attend the market. Appendix 4 also contains important information.

Visa uniFrance – Digital Formats
Jean-Christophe Soulageon – Antoine Gandaubert
After an assessment phase in 2006, films completed on video, which have been granted a "visa d’exploitation" (commercial certificate) which were produced by a company holding a "carte de producteur" (producer’s card) and hold Unifrance membership, are now eligible for selective and automatic subtitling grants.
In 2007 and 2008, edibility conditions will be studied so as to allow producers listed by the CNC to submit films shot in digital formats which do not hold a "visa d’exploitation." Among issues to be studied are the possible effects on the workload of the Short Film team in terms of the number of committee meetings to be organized and the video library budget.

Distribution and Distributors
Martine Vidalenc – Ron Dyens
There is as yet no database on the international sale of short films providing a comprehensive list of buyers, sales figures, and the volume of sales and details of these sales. It was thus considered vitally important to launch a study on the sale of French short films outside France. This study will be made available to the full range of short film industry players in order to provide them with concise information about international short film sales.
This study benefits from support from the CNC and the Procirep, who are currently compiling all available data concerning sales by producers in foreign markets. Initial data concerning to the past three years will be gathered from funding records held by these organizations.
Once the information to be included in this study is finalized, uniFrance members will be called upon to provide further information in order to complete this statistical survey of the distribution of French short films worldwide, and to provide us with authorization to publish film titles and company names.
Drawing on the expertise of the uniFrance Marketing Department, a statistics tool may be launched online in 2008 in order to monitor film distribution in each territory, including new distribution formats.

Navette UniFrance – Short Film Agency
A Study on the Sale of Short Films
Olivier Berlemont
This "shuttle" service is currently at a practical experimental stage. Undertaken primarily for the benefit of our members, this service aims to facilitate the transportation of film prints between producers, uniFrance, and the Short Film Agency.

Digital Distribution Platform
Olivier Berlemont – Alexandre Charlet
As part of its "public service" initiatives, uniFrance and the Short Film Agency are participating in the creation of a "dematerialized” Digital Film Library which will include all French short films.
The aim of this project, as well as to assist producers in making necessary technological adjustments, is to create a secure nationwide technical platform accessible – through a range of partner websites – to programmers, selection committees, exhibitors, and film buyers. It will allow for the distribution of films released in future digital formats: theatrical release, TVHD, VOD, telephones, and so on.
This project is actively supported by the CNC and the SPI, who provide assistance in establishing legal guidelines, technical specifications, and approaching future partners.

uniFrance’s presence at film markets
Reflecting the international scope of its activities uniFrance is present each year at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival. The uniFrance booth accommodates the full range of French and international professionals with whom we work throughout the year. Among other initiatives, uniFrance hosts breakfast event bringing together French directors and producers with film buyers, distributors, broadcasters, and festival directors from around the world.

For the second consecutive year, uniFrance provided support to the Brest Film Festival in the organization of a film market aimed at DVD and new media publishers. We also continue our support to the Aix-en-Provence Film Festival for the 8th year of its film market, at which some twenty international film buyers and distributors were present.

Other initiatives
Other initiatives include uniFrance’s participation in the creation of a 5-disc DVD case entitled "Voyages en courts," published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as part of its support program for short films via the international cultural network established by French Embassies. This DVD case was officially launched at Clermont-Ferrand.

To celebrate its 20th anniversary, uniFrance is providing support to the FEMIS Film School by offering Spanish titling grants for a program aimed at Spanish-speaking countries, as well as ensuring the circulation of numerous students’ films in Ukraine, Japan, Mexico, among other countries.

As of 2007, uniFrance will provide support to the Lutin Short Film Awards, a vital event that provides significant encouragement to the French short film industry. A DVD produced by the Lutin Awards will be available this year, with English and French subtitles.

Boosting the presence of short films at uniFrance events
At all uniFrance-organized events, short films are promoted in a range of programs. The Committee selects primarily recent films for events in Tokyo-Osaka, London, New York, Beijing, and Mexico City.

A Study on the North American Market – Premium Films
With the aim of improving understanding of the short film market in this region, the Committee appointed Frédéric Joubaud, a representative from Premium Films in the USA, to conduct a survey exploring the possibilities of all forms of short film distribution in North America.
This survey will analyze the various characteristics of film festivals, focusing on the commercial potential of each event, the presence of buyers at the event, the types of distribution rights acquired (theatrical, TV, DVD, VOD, etc), and the efficiency of film markets at festivals offering a space reserved for professionals.
Premium Films will offer its expertise in the area of short film sales in the North American market, and will provide details of the major problematic contractual clauses affecting the sale of rights in this territory.
Launched in June 2006 at the Toronto Film Festival, this study will be completed in April 2007 at the Aspen Film Festival.