Our Governing Bodies

Unifrance's policies are decided by its governing bodies, composed of industry professionals: the Board of Directors, Executive Committee and various Commissions.

Unifrance's committees and commissions :Committees :The Board of DirectorsThe Executive Committee Commissions :The Economic CommissionThe Artistic Commission The Feature-Film Producers' CommissionThe Short-Film Producers and Exporters' Commission

Regulatory Authorities and the Board of Directors
Unifrance operates under the direct supervision of the CNC (Centre national du cinéma et de l'image), which is in charge of the support policy for French cinema, under the authority of the Ministry of Culture. The association operates on the basis of an annual budget presented by its Board of Directors to the CNC, which allocates funding to it. Unifrance's budget is supplemented by funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for operations jointly carried out, with diplomatic ties around the world, with the support of Ubifrance and its own resources (fees, partnerships…).

Presidency and the Executive Committee
Unifrance's President Antoine de Clermont-Tonnerre is assisted by a Board of Directors and Executive Committee, composed of four Vice-Presidents (Eric Névé, producer, Tonie Marshall, director, Cécile Gaget, sales agent, as well as a General Secretary (Karine Blanc, producer). The statutes were changed on 18 November 2008, the post of General Manager was created and is currently held by Régine Hatchondo.

Unifrance's Commissions
Every 2 years the 4 Councils, representing Unifrance's members, elect representatives to sit on the following Commissions:

• Artistic Commission
• Feature Film Commission
• Economic Commissio
• Short Film Commission

The Members of the Commissions, elected for two years, meet at least every two months, upon convocation by their President, or by his Deputy, or by authorisation of the General Director of the association, who sets the agenda for the meetings.
The Commissions review and submit recommendations and proposals regarding all matters concerning the association's activities and programme, either on their own initiative or at the behest of the President of the association or the Executive Committee.
It must be noted that the Presidents of these four Commissions meet as often as they deem fit to address specific subjects or actions to be undertaken in particular geographic areas.

For further information as to the structure and composition of Unifrance's governing bodies, you may download the association's statutes.

Composition of the Board of Directors
The association is administered by a Board of Directors composed of:

• 10 Members designated by their professional organisations,
• 12 Statuary Members,
• 23 Elected Members,
• 3 qualified key figures, including 2 nominated by the Minister of Culture and 1 nominated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs,
• The Director General of the CNC who exercises the function of Government Commissioner with respect to the association,
• The Financial Auditor of the CNC takes part, with a consultative voice, in the meetings of the Board of Directors and General Assemblies

Thus, 50 Members in all, with 48 having voting rights. The Members of the Board of Directors are appointed for a two-year term.

Operation of the Board of Directors
The Board of Directors elects the association's President. It meets at least twice per year and each time that the request is so made by at last one-fourth of its Members. It approves the fundamental orientations of the association, and the means necessary to achieve them. It reviews the budget prepared by the Executive Committee prior to submitting it to the vote of the General Assembly. It discusses the recommendations and proposals of the Commissions, and sets the amount of annual membership fees.

Composition of the Executive Committee
The Executive Committee is composed of:

• The President, elected among the 32 Representatives of the Feature-Film Producers' Commission
• 4 representatives of the feature-film producers, namely the Vice-President of the Association, President of the Feature-Film Producers' Commission, his Deputy, and 2 elected members of the Feature-Film Producers' Commission,
• 3 representatives of the Exporters ("Sales Agents"), namely the Vice-President of the association, the President of the Economic Commission, his Deputy, and 1 elected member of the Economic Commission
• 2 representatives of the Artists, namely the Vice-President of the association, the President of the Artistic Commission and his Deputy,
• 1 representative of the Short-Film Producers, namely the President of the Short-Film Producers and Distributors' Commission

In all, 11 members, among whom will be appointed, at the first meeting, the Treasurer and Secretary of the Association.

Operation of the Executive Committee
The Members of the Executive Committee are elected for a term of two years. The Executive Committee meets at least four times per year upon convocation of its President, and if at least six of its members so request. It defines the fundamental orientations of the association and means necessary for their implementation. It acts as the interface between the Board of Directors and the Commissions: it studies and debates the priorities of the Director General and his team, and follows their application; it evaluates actions that have been carried out, prepares the activity programme and proposed budget, which shall be presented to the Board of Directors, and assists the President in his representative missions abroad.

The Council of Exporters elects 20 representatives who comprise the Economic Commission, and who, in turn, elect during the same meeting, their President and his Deputy, as well as 5 Members. These 7 will sit on the Board of Directors. The President of the Commission is the Vice-President of Unifrance. During the same meeting, the Commission elects, from amongst its five representatives to the Board of Directors, another representative to the Executive Committee.
The Economic Commission is completed by the 4 statutory exporter members of the Board of Directors, which brings to 24 the number of the Commission's members.

Candidates for its posts of Commission representatives must respond to a certain number of eligibility criteria (it being understood that only those films having received production approval and the exploitation visa, and not being X-rated, can be taken into account in respecting these criteria), namely: Exporters having exported at least two feature film of French initiative, having received production approval and an exploitation visa (and not being X-rated) during the 12 months preceding the election in at least 6 major territories, such as defined under Article 5 (A), and this with the exclusion of sales mandates on the coproduction territory or territories.

Every two years, the members of the Feature-Film Directors, Actors, Screenwriters, and Talent Agents' Council elects 20 representatives to form the Artistic Commission, who elect, during the same meeting, their President and his Deputy, as well as 5 Members (these 7 representatives shall sit on the Board of Directors). The President of the Artistic Commission is also a Vice-President of Unifrance, and, along with his Deputy, sits on the Executive Committee.

Candidates for these positions as Committee representatives must comply with a number of conditions of eligibility (it being understood that only those films having received production approval and an exploitation visa, and not being X-rated, may be taken into account to respect these criteria), namely:

• Directors having made at least one feature film over the four calendar years preceding the election.
• Actors having played the lead role in at least one feature film or a supporting role in at least two feature films over the three calendar years preceding the election.
• Writers having collaborated on a feature film produced over the three calendar years preceding the election.
• Talent Agents, whether individuals or legal entities, working in the film industry and holders of an talent agent's licence, issued by the Labour Ministry that has been valid for at least five years.

In all, 11 members, among whom will be appointed, at the first meeting, the Treasurer and Secretary of the Association.

The Feature-Film Producers' Council elects every two years a Feature-Film Producers' Commission comprised of 32 representatives. At the same meeting, these representatives elect their President and his Deputy, as well as 5 Members: these 7 Individuals shall sit on the Board of Directors. The President of the Feature-Film Producers' Commission is equally one of Unifrance's Vice-Presidents. During this same meeting, the Commission elects, among its five representatives to the Board of Directors, the two other representatives to the Executive Committee. The Feature-Film Producers' Commission is completed by 4 producers, who are statutory members of the Board of Directors, thus bringing the total number of Commission members to 36.

Candidates for these positions of Commission members must comply with a number of eligibility conditions and criteria, including having produced or co-produced at least one feature film over the three calendar years preceding the election (it being understood that only those films having been granted production approval and an exploitation visa, and not being X-rated, may be considered with respect to these criteria).

The Short-Film Producers and Exporters' Commission is elected every two years during the first six months of the year following the Ordinary General Assembly of the concerned year.

The Short-Film Producers and Distributors' Council elects 12 representatives to form the Short Film Commission. They elect in turn, during the same meeting, their President and Vice-President, and the latter may be a distributor. The President and Vice-President sit on the Board of Directors. The President of the Commission also sits on the Executive Committee.

In addition to granting subtitling aid, the Commission reviews and submits recommendations relative to any of the association's actions and its short-film programme. Proceedings of all meetings of the Commission are recorded in the minutes.