Founded in 1949 as an association under the 1901 French Associations Act, and operating under the supervision of French state authorities, notably the CNC (Centre National du Cinéma et de l'Image Animée), Unifrance is the organization responsible for promoting French film and TV content worldwide.
Based in Paris, Unifrance has around fifty staff members, as well as representatives in the United States, China, and, soon, in Japan. Today, the association brings together over 1,000 professionals in the French cinema and television sectors (including producers, artists, talent agents, and sales companies), who work together to promote French films and television content to audiences, industry professionals, and foreign media.
Unifrance in 8 points
- Export support
- Accompaniment in international markets
- Organization of events
- Economic intelligence
- Raising awareness of issues affecting French productions
- Highlighting French expertise in all its diversity
- Key dates and presidency history
Export support
Unifrance contributes to optimizing the visibility of French film and television content in all its diversity by providing support to the export of French films and TV programs around the world. This can be seen notably in Unifrance’s systematic presence at the major international festivals and markets (such as Berlin, Series Mania, MIPTV/MIPCOM, Cannes, Annecy, Locarno, Venice, Toronto, San Sebastián, MIA, IDFA, Busan, and ATF, among others). To further expand our reach, we host the Unifrance Rendez-Vous events in Paris and Biarritz, the world’s biggest markets dedicated to French film and TV content. Unifrance is also developing digital tools to enable foreign distributors, broadcasters, and festivals to view films and TV content.
Accompaniment in international markets
Unifrance accompanies French professionals, artists, and productions in international markets throughout the value chain of the industry, from production to distribution, including promotion, through specifically tailored support measures and tools: including the referencing of works and professionals, networking-building initiatives, travel funding, organization of meetings with the press, image operations, creation of content to increase the visibility of works and artists, cross-media activities, and so forth.
Organization of events
To contribute to raising the profile of French film and TV productions with foreign audiences, and constantly seeking to expand and renew audiences, Unifrance organizes and/or provides support to numerous festivals dedicated to French productions around the world. The association also develops initiatives to encourage dialog between artists/professionals and international audiences: including masterclasses, roundtables, Q&As, production of digital content, exhibitions, and digital content that is broadcast on our social media accounts.
Economic intelligence
Since its creation, Unifrance has built tools for studying international markets in order to analyze the performance and strengths of the French film and television industries around the world and to keep a constant watch on international markets via methodical monitoring and specifically formulated tools: collection and analysis of data, economic surveys by territory, box office figures, publication of statistics and studies, and so forth. This unparalleled expertise enables Unifrance to offer valuable support to its members and professionals in the sector.
Raising awareness of issues affecting French productions
Throughout the year, Unifrance works to heighten the awareness of French film and television productions among key market players (distributors, broadcasters, producers, artists, media, exhibitors, VOD platforms, and foreign institutions) by encouraging dialog about the concerns affecting French works.
Highlighting French expertise in all its diversity
Within the framework of its activities, Unifrance contributes to championing diversity and fostering the renewal of French creative works through initiatives designed to support short films and enhance the visibility of works in innovative formats (VR, documentaries, animation, genre films and series, etc.).
Key figures for French film and TV content
Coming soon
Key dates and presidency history
1949: Founding of Unifrance (originally named "AFDEC" - Association Française de Diffusion et d'Expansion Cinématographique)
2021: Merger of Unifrance and TV France International. Unifrance becomes the organization in charge of promoting both film and TV content worldwide.
Presidents of Unifrance
1949: Georges Lourau
1955: Raoul Ploquin
1961: Georges Lourau
1965: François de Chavanne
1966: Francis Cosne
1969: Georges Lourau
1969: Marcel Lathière
1970: Gilbert de Goldschmidt
1973: Raymond Danon
1975: Georges Dancigers
1979: Yves Rousset-Rouard
1981: Adolphe Viezzi
1983: Jacques Dorfmann
1986: Gilbert de Goldschmidt
1988: Daniel Toscan du Plantier
2003: Margaret Menegoz
2009: Antoine de Clermont-Tonnerre
2012: Jean-Paul Salomé
2017: Serge Toubiana
2019: Serge Toubiana (President) and Hervé Michel (Vice-President)
