From September 1 to 5, the 31s Unifrance Rendez-Vous took place for the second time in Le Havre, on the Normandy coast. The Ville du Havre and the Région Normandie gave participants a particularly warm welcome, showcasing the region to great effect, whether during the opening night at MuMa, the Musée d’Art Moderne André Malraux, where participants were welcomed by Édouard Philippe, Mayor of Le Havre and President of the Communauté Urbaine Le Havre Seine Métropole, or during the cocktail reception organized in Fécamp at the Palais Bénédictine, at the invitation of Hervé Morin, President of the Région Normandie. Both emphasized the importance of the audiovisual sector at the local level and its cultural and economic significance.
Discover the video highlights of the 2025 Unifrance Rendez-Vous in Le Havre
To kick off the Rendez-vous, French distributors and members of the French and international press were invited to a morning of conferences on 2 September, introduced by Gilles Pélisson, President of Unifrance, Daniela Elstner, Managing Director of Unifrance, and Gaëtan Bruel, President of the CNC. Gilles Pélisson and Yannick Carriou, Chairman and CEO of Médiamétrie, discussed issues related to digital distribution, with a focus on audience measurement for programmes on platforms. The figures for French audiovisual programme exports in 2024, compiled by the CNC and Unifrance, were also presented by Cécile Lacoue, Director of Studies, Statistics and Forecasting at the CNC, Sarah Hemar, Director of Audiovisual at Unifrance, and Emmanuelle Jouanole, Managing Director of GEDEON Media Group & Terranoa. These figures are showing sales exceeding the €200 million threshold for the fourth time in 30 years, reaching €209.6 million, a slight increase of 3% over one year, reflecting the quality and diversity of audiovisual works in all genres, which continue to appeal to the international market despite difficult conditions.
In this context, the Unifrance Rendez-Vous in Le Havre enabled 150 international buyers from around 40 countries to discover more than 500 programs presented by 51 audiovisual distribution companies. In terms of delegations, the 10 most represented foreign countries this year were Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Poland, Spain, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Croatia.
Once again, these Rendez-Vous provided an ideal setting for exchanges between French distributors and foreign buyers ahead of the international markets in the fall.
Throughout the Rendez-Vous, participants were able to discover flagship programs showcased during convivial evenings, which are always effective for promoting programs, as well as during screenings, which also attracted large numbers of participants. At the gala evening on Tuesday, September 2, creator, screenwriter, and director Ange Basterga, actors Thierry Neuvic and Vahina Giocante, and producer Marco Cherqui (CPB Films) were on hand to present present an exclusive screening of the first episode of the series Vendetta (6x52’), distributed by France tv distribution. The Corsican musicians who composed the series' soundtrack were also present and performed several songs from their repertoire during the evening.
Actor Thierry Neuvic, creator, screenwriter, and director Ange Basterga, and actress Vahina Giocante at the gala reception of the Unifrance Rendez-vous in Le Havre © Jérémy Charbaut / Unifrance
For the second consecutive year at these Rendez-Vous, Deadline magazine presented the French TV Disruptor Award. Showrunner and screenwriter Fanny Herrero was this year's recipient, succeeding screenwriter and director Noé Debré. This award recognizes the most remarkable and daring talents in international television. Herrero was present in Fécamp to receive the award. In her particularly moving speech, she recalled that boldness was what guided her in her work: "I really believe that boldness lies in the conviction that what we want to say really matters - that it is essential, and that we really want to say something that is true to us. I believe that boldness, audacity is a protection of creativity against fear. This is what guides me in my work. I really hope it guides you too, because we really need that."
Catherine Morin Desailly (Senator of the Seine-Maritime), Hervé Morin (President of the Région Normandie), Fanny Herrero (showrunner and screenwriter), Stewart Clarke (journalist at Deadline), and Gilles Pélisson (President of Unifrance) during the Deadline French TV Disruptor Award ceremony at the Palais Bénédictine in Fécamp © Jérémy Charbaut / Unifrance
The top streams on the Rendez-Vous Screening Room
Top scripted works:
- Vendetta, series created by Ange Basterga, written by Ange Basterga, Pierre-Marie Mosconi, and Emmanuelle Michaux, directed by Ange Basterga, produced by CPB Films, distributed by France tv distribution
- After Us, series created by Matthieu Bernard and Louis Aubert, written by Louis Aubert, Matthieu Bernard, and Clément Marchand, directed by Franck Brett, produced by Les Films du Cygne and Storia Television, distributed by Mediawan Rights
- Seasons, series created by Hélène Duchateau, written by Nicolas Maury and Hélène Duchateau, directed by Nicolas Maury, produced by Windy Production
Top documentaries:
- Whispers of the Earth, film written by Christophe Cousin and Matthieu Maillet, directed by Matthieu Maillet, produced by Haut et Court Doc, distributed by Terranoa
- The Cities of Gold, the Reality behind the Myth, film written and directed by Joséphine Duteuil, produced by Tournez S'il Vous Plaît Production, distributed by France tv distribution
- BORNÉO, la forêt ancestrale (ex-æquo), film directed by Ronan Fournier-Christol, produced by Songes de Moai, distributed by Terranoa
- Destination Moon: The New Space Age (ex-æquo), series directed by Laurent Lichtenstein, Alain Brunard, produced by ZED, NHK, distributed by ZED
- Northern Lights, the Great Rendez-Vous (ex-æquo), film directed by Olivier Grunewald, Bernadette Gilbertas, produced by POP Films, distributed by Lukarn
- Tasting the World (ex-æquo), series produced by TV ONLY, ditributed by Only Distrib
Top animated works:
- Captain Tone-Up (ex-æquo), series written by Sophie Decroisette, directed by Jérôme Mouscadet, produced by Dada ! Animation, distributed by Autour de Minuit
- Pil's Adventures (ex-æquo), series created by Julien Fournet, directed by Julien Fournet, Jérémie Guneau, and Benjamin Lagard, produced by TAT productions, distributed by Folivari
- Men in Blue – 12 Stories, series directed by Francisco Bianchi, produced by Mood Films Production, distributed by Studiofact Rights
- Simon Super Rabbit, series written by Stephanie Blake, Thomas Forwood, Julien Cayot, and Simon Lecocq, directed by Julien Cayot, produced by GO-N Productions, distributed by Federation International
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Find the video content produced during the Unifrance Rendez-Vous in Le Havre on the Unifrance YouTube channel:
- Sales hits of 2024
- Interviews: buyer (Leona Hidding) and sales agent (Lionel Marty)
- Interview with Fanny Herrero by Stewart Clarke, journalist at Deadline, as part of the Deadline French TV Disruptor Award ceremony
- Highlights of the 2025 Unifrance Rendez-Vous in Le Havre
Media Gallery
