On the occasion of the Trouville Off-Courts Film Festival, Unifrance presented its 2023 report on the exports and presence of French short films abroad during the year.
Since 2018, the French short film market has been on a steady upward trend, with sales and revenues in 2023 reaching their highest levels since this study was first carried out (2009): €911,253 and €3,386 respectively. Nine films grossed more than €20,000 each, and together they accounted for a quarter of total revenues in 2023. The number of transactions remained more or less stable compared with 2022, which implies an increase in the average sale price. It should be underlined that, since 2020, more than 1,000 French short films have been exported internationally each year.
It's interesting to note the increasingly important role covered by VOD platforms among buyers: in 2023, their contribution in terms of sales exceeded 35%, the highest level on record. Although following different evolutions, historical buyers remained loyal, including Base Court, BeTV, Movistar+, and Pacific Voice.
Festivals, providing showcases for short films, and a setting for professional meetings and exchanges, are an essential springboard for the distribution of short films. At the same time, they encourage the emergence of young talent, whose artistic gestures and creative audacity contribute to the diversification of the cinematographic landscape.
KEY MARKET INDICATORS IN 2023
On the export front
- €911,253 in revenues, 3,386 sales, and 21,372 titles sold. 877 buyers, with Disney+ (United States) the lead buyer.
- Animation and fiction accounted for over 90% of total exports.
- Keep, top French short film by revenues.
- To Be Sisters, top French short film by sales.
- Western Europe and the USA confirmed as the leading geographic zone and the leading country by sales respectively.
In festivals
- 564 French short films selected and 1,115 screenings at 68 foreign festivals attended..
- 131 awards won.
- Ice Merchants, top French short film by number of selections.
Since 2009, Unifrance has been analyzing the commercial distribution of French short films abroad. The annual study focuses exclusively on objective sales results, title by title, reported by production and distribution companies. In 2024, 70 companies responded to our request to participate in this report covering 2023.
The 2023 report can be downloaded below (in French only)
Study
Unifrance - Bilan courts-métrages 2023
