Two days of discussions (June 4-5, 2015) on the themes of film financing, distribution, and opportunities for development in the audiovisual sector, with the participation of the major audiovisual media groups operating in Africa: Lagardère, Orange, Pathé-Gaumont, RTI and Canal +.
This event organized in collaboration with the Côte d’Ivoire's Ministry of Culture and Francophony will provide an opportunity to bring together French-speaking professionals and representatives of organizations to discuss key issues connected with the movie sector in Africa. A presentation of Co-Production Agreements will be made during this event by the CNC - Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée.
These meetings will be held immediately following the DISCOP AFRICA television market that will be held for the first time this year in Côte d’Ivoire (from June 2), and will also provide an occasion to inaugurate two new digital theaters—the theater at the Sofitel Abidjan Hotel on June 3 and the French Institute's theater on June 4.
The 1st Francophone Film Meetings in Abidjan are a continuation of the development of new directions to be pursued in this region that were presented in our Report on Opportunities for French Films in French-speaking Africa released in October last year. The event is hosted by UniFrance films in collaboration with the Ivory Coast's Ministry of Culture and Francophony, and will be held at the Sofitel Abidjan Hotel Ivoire in partnership with DISCOP AFRICA.
For some years now, UniFrance films has been studying the movie and television sector in the international French-language community in collaboration with our Belgian, Swiss, and Quebec partners, under the aegis of the "Francophony" work group led by the film producer Éric Névé (La Chauve-Souris). This work group is composed of directors, producers, and sales agents, and meets several times a year to study new strategies and initiatives for this region, while taking into consideration the economic and cultural challenges involved.
PROGRAM OF THE 1ST FRANCOPHONE FILM MEETINGS IN ABIDJAN & SPEAKERS
Thursday, June 4, 2015
1st day organized in collaboration with DISCOP AFRICA
Emcees: Soumahoro Alfa Yaya, director of production at the ONAC-CI and Jean-Christophe Baubiat, marketing director in charge of French-speaking countries at UniFrance films
9:00 a.m. Keynote address
Khady Diallo, general secretary of the National Francophony Commission
Fadika Lanciné Kramo, executive director of the ONAC-CI
9:30 a.m. Welcoming speech
Eric Névé, film producer, president of the UniFrance films Francophony work group
Opening of the 1st Francophone Film Meetings
Maurice Kouakou Bandaman, the Côte d'Ivoire's Minister of Culture and Francophony
Isabelle Giordano, executive director of UniFrance films and Patrick Zuchowicki, general director of DISCOP AFRICA
10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Presentation: "Development strategies of audiovisual media groups in French-speaking Africa"
Moderator: Charlemagne Coffi, Consultant with the Côte d’Ivoire's Ministry of Culture and Francophony
- Bernard Azria, chairman and CEO of Côte Ouest Audiovisuel
- Ahmadou Bakayoko, executive director of RTI (SRC)
- Takis Candilis, president of Lagardère Entertainment
- François Deplanck, director of networks and content at Canal+ Overseas
- David Kessler, executive director of Orange Studio
- Olivier Laouchez, chairman and CEO of Trace TV
1:30 p.m.-3:00 p.m. Debate: "The role of television and new distribution channels in film financing"
Moderator: Isabelle Giordano, executive director of UniFrance films
- Mathieu Béjot, executive director of TV France International
- Bastian Gotter, co-founder and president of Iroko Partners (SRC)
- Alain Modot, founder of the DIFFA
- Marc Tessier, adviser to the president of Netgem
- Marjorie Vella, director of the cinema branch of TV5 Monde
- a representative of Kagiso Media, South Africa (name to be advised)
Speakers: Damiano Malchiodi, director of A+ TV
3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Discussion on training: "The necessity of structuring a sector: training, production, distribution, and exhibition"
Moderator: Vincent Melilli, executive director of ESAV
- Baba Diop, training director and film critic
- Tariq Khalami, director of promotions and cooperation at CCM
- Paul-Marie Koffi Kossonou, executive director of INSAAC
- Pierre Jalladeau, director for Africa at CFI
- Laurent Lavolé, film producer, president of Gloria Films
Speakers: Pascale Borensztein, director of external relations and in-service training at the FEMIS
6:00 p.m. Evening event at the French Institute featuring a presentation of the TV films: C’est la vie (Senegal–France), Brouteurs.com, season 2 (Côte d’Ivoire–France), and films: Serial (Bad) Weddings by Philippe de Chauveron, screened in the presence of the actress Salimata Kamaté.
Friday, June 5, 2015
2nd day, dedicated to the movie sector
9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Debate on film production: "What are the resources required and the limitations of film financing in Francophone nations?"
Moderator: Eric Névé, film producer, president of the UniFrance films Francophone work group
1st Section : Co-Production Agreements
- Mamidou Zoumana Coulibaly-Diakité, president of the management committee at FONSIC (SRC)
- Hugues Diaz, director of Senegal's National Film Agency
- Catherine Loumède, executive director in charge of cinema and audiovisual production at SODEC
- Catherine Souyri-Desrosier, director of the exports and international commercial negotiations department at the CNC
2nd Section : Public and private funding mechanisms
- Youma Fall, director of diversity and cultural development at OIF
- Philippe Lacôte, film director and producer
- Jean-Yves Roubin, film producer, co-president of UPFF
- Aline Schmid, producer, administrator at Intermezzo Films
- Abderrahmane Sissako, film director, president of Aide au Cinéma du Monde
Speakers: Bénédicte Bellocq, producer at Agora Films Morocco and Boris Van Gils, producer at Boucan Films
11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Debate on distribution: "How to distribute films - on the big screen or on a tablet?"
Moderator: Malek Ali Yahia, director of MD Ciné
- Samba Diop, director of content at Orange Sonatel Senegal
- Mathilde Lafarge, executive director of Onyx
- Mohamed Layadi, director of cinema at Colisée in Marrakech
- Coumba Sarr, director of CNA Senegal
- Cyril Thurston, executive director of Xenix Filmdistribution
Speakers: Géraldine Lepicard, director of international sales at TF1 International and Betty Sulty-Johnson, director of international sales at DIFFA
2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Debate on film exhibition: "What are the development prospects for digital theaters in French-speaking Africa?"
Moderator: Gilles Renouard, deputy director of UniFrance films
- Jean-Marc Béjani, director of Majestic One in Abidjan
- Issa Serge Coelho, director of cinema at Le Normandie in N’Djamena
- Jean-Paul De Vidas, director of Films 26
- Frédéric Godfroid, deputy director of development at Cinémas Gaumont Pathé or Jean-Pierre Decrette, director of development at Cinémas Gaumont Pathé
- Valérie Mouroux, director of the film department at the French Institute
Speakers: Mete Siriki, director of Magic Cinema in Bamako, Jean-Marc Lalo, architect, and Berni Goldblat, president of the Association de Soutien du Cinéma in Burkina Faso
3:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Debate on promotion: "Festivals and awards: how to promote films in the French-speaking world?
Moderator: Nicole Gillet, executive director of the FIFF in Namur
- Nathalie Barton, producer, founding member of Vues d’Afrique in Montreal
- Dominique Besnehard, director of the Francophone Film Festival in Angoulême
- Dayo Ogunyemi, president of 234 Media, in charge of the AMAA (African Movie Awards)
- Alain Rocca, president of the Organisation des Trophées Francophones
- Ardiouma Soma, director of FESPACO
Speaker: Eric Franssen, director of Wallonie Bruxelles Images
5:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Closing speech of the 1st Francophone Film Meetings
Khady Diallo and Eric Névé
