On the occasion of the 32nd edition of the Unifrance Rendez-Vous, taking place September 7–10, 2026, in Le Havre, the CNC and Unifrance are offering a dual, complementary approach this year to provide a richer and more comprehensive overview of the export, standing, and global reach of French audiovisual production.
Accordingly, the Centre national du cinéma et l’image animée (CNC) is releasing a study on the 2025 international revenues of French audiovisual programs, covering sales, pre-sales, and co-productions. On this same occasion, and for the first time to date, Unifrance is presenting its Annual Report on the Audiovisual Sector in 2025, which analyzes the presence of French audiovisual productions on linear channels and SVOD (subscription video on demand) platforms internationally.
According to the CNC and Unifrance, sales of French audiovisual programs reached €164.3 million in 2025, down from the high level recorded in 2024 (€209.6 million).
While the sector held steady in recent years despite already challenging international market conditions, exports of French audiovisual programs slowed in 2025 due to an increasingly strained economic environment: public and private broadcasters reduced their financial commitments; SVOD services streamlined their investments by prioritizing the commissioning of local programs; and buyers became more selective, focusing on safe bets.
The total revenues of French audiovisual program exports—including sales, pre-sales, and co-production contributions—thus stood at €282.7 million—a decline of 28.1% from the record high set in 2024 (€393.0 million). In terms of pre-financing, the decline was more pronounced for pre-sales (down 59.3% from 2024, to €30.7 million) than for co-production contributions (down 18.7% to €87.7 million). Sales, meanwhile, totaled €164.3 million, down 21.6% from 2024.
Fiction, the leading genre in exports, ahead of documentary and animation
French fiction remained the leading genre in exports for the fourth consecutive year, with €54.9 million in sales, down 27.0% from 2024. Fiction accounted for a 33.4% market share of total sales of French works abroad. So-called “light crime” series such as Deadly Tropics, Bright Minds, Tom & Lola, and The Coroner increasingly drove buyer demand. Event-driven series, such as Samber and The Sentinels, were not to be outdone, however, and also attracted foreign broadcasters.
Documentaries held steady (-2.7% compared to 2024), with sales totaling €43.1 million. The genre became the second-largest in exports, with a 26.2% market share. French productions continued to be highly regarded abroad, particularly in the fields of history, current affairs (news and geopolitics), and science, despite growing challenges, notably the priority given to “event-driven” documentaries and the growing preference for more local themes.
Sales of animated programs declined again, reaching €32.2 million in 2025 (down 30.3% from 2024), representing a market share of 19.6%. For the first time, animation was the third-largest genre in exports for French audiovisual programs. The sector was the first to be impacted by the contraction of the international market and changing viewing habits.
Western Europe, the leading market for French works
Western Europe remained by far the leading market for French audiovisual programs, with €76.7 million in sales (down 15.3% from 2024), accounting for 46.7% of global revenues. North America regained its position as the second-largest export market, with an 11.5% market share and €18.9 million in sales (+14.7% compared to 2024), a rebound largely driven by the excellent performance of an international sales company operating in the region. Central and Eastern Europe became the third-largest export market with €12.2 million (-26.5%), representing a 7.4% market share. Finally, the Asia/Oceania region generated €8.7 million (-33.4%), representing a 5.3% market share—its lowest level on record.
Multi-region rights (including worldwide rights) totaled €38.4 million (-33.6%), with revenues primarily driven by animation (29.7% of these rights) and documentaries (21.9%).
In terms of rights types, free, ad-supported video on demand (AVOD) accounted for 14.3% of total audiovisual program sales, a sharp increase compared to 2024 (9.6%). However, this rise in AVOD was not sufficient to offset the decline in revenues generated by SVOD platforms. The share of non-linear rights thus fell to 34.8% of revenues in 2025 (40.9% in 2024), while TV rights (including “all rights” or “360 rights” sales) still accounted for the majority of export revenues, with a 54.4% market share.
French audiovisual programs present on linear channels and SVOD platforms
At the same time, as Unifrance’s report shows, France maintained its third-place ranking in 2025—behind the United States and the United Kingdom (and as the top EU country)—in terms of the number of works broadcast on linear channels worldwide, while it ranked 7th in terms of releases on SVOD platforms, behind English-speaking countries and Asia, which has carved out an exceptional niche in this distribution channel. What sets France apart is the richness and diversity of formats in its catalog of works; this is what makes French production so strong on the global stage, unlike other countries that offer a more limited number of titles, often originating from streamers’ original productions.
Animation, along with children’s series, continued to hold a prominent place on television screens around the world—particularly in the United Kingdom and Brazil—where it accounted for the highest number of broadcasts on specialty channels. Notable hits include Miraculous, Grizzy and the Lemmings, and Pyjamasques.
Documentaries also continued to be well represented on television screens across the full range of their subjects—including Ancient Superstructures, D-Day: 100 Days for Freedom, as well as Miyazaki, Spirit of Nature and I Am Martin Parr. On SVOD platforms, documentaries were, in fact, the genre with the most recent releases.
When it came to fiction—both stand-alone films and series—at the top of the list were light crime and detective shows, such as Meurtres à…, Candice Renoir, and Profiling, which were hugely popular with audiences around the world. That didn't stop programs such as Reckless Summer or The Bureau from also making their mark on the small screen.
While witnessing a sharp decline in sales of French audiovisual programs in 2025 following particularly favorable post-COVID years, we also note that French productions held up rather well amid a deteriorating global economic climate, maintaining a central place in the global audiovisual landscape—particularly outside English-language production countries.
It should be noted that certain acquisitions and co-productions of French programmes are not included in the study, due to a lack of precise data from the production platforms regarding the valuation of the international component. The joint work carried out by the CNC and Unifrance to report on both turnover and market presence.
In this challenging context, France’s ability to produce content across all genres, covering a wide range of themes and narrative forms, remains undiminished. We must therefore ensure that the effective funding system, which has proven its worth, will be maintained, enabling France to be recognised as a leading producer and exporter of audiovisual content, whilst taking on board new trends and the realities of a changing market.
The CNC report can be downloaded here (in French)
The Unifrance report is available below
Study
This content is for registered users only.
Are you a member? Please login to view content.
