In a new Unifrance initiative, five Australian journalists were invited to Paris from October 22 through 25 to meet with French actors and directors.
This press junket focuses on promoting French films in the Australian media, with the aim of increasing the programming of French films on television and boosting theatrical acquisitions. The following journalists were selected after consultation with Australian distributors: Philippa Hawker for The Age (Melbourne daily), Rosalie Higson for The Australian (national daily), Dov Kornits for Filmink Magazine (monthly), Garry Maddox for The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney daily), and Julie Rigg for ABC national radio.
During their stay in Paris, the Australian representatives had the chance to interview actors and directors from 25 French films either slated for upcoming release in Australia or to be presented at the next French Film Festival in Australia held in partnership with the Alliance Française. The following actors and directors took part in interviews: Fu'ad Ait Aattou for Une Vieille Maîtresse (also released as An Old Mistress and The Last Mistress), Mathieu Amalric for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Ariane Ascaride for L'Année Suivante, Pierre Arditi for Private Fears in Public Places, Claude Berri for Hunting and Gathering, Laurent Bouhnik for L'Invité, Catherine Breillat for Une Vieille Maîtresse, Isabelle Carré for Anna M. and Private Fears in Public Places, Laurent Charbonnier for Les Animaux Amoureux, François Cluzet for Tell No One, Marie-Josée Croze for Tell No One and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Isabelle Czajka for L'Année Suivante, Antoine de Caunes for Twice Upon a Time, Éric de Montalier for Ma Place au Soleil (My Place in the Sun), Anaïs Demoustier for L'Année Suivante, Sara Forestier for Jean de la Fontaine, Barthélémy Grossmann for 13 m², Luc Jacquet for The Fox & the Child, Pierre Jolivet for Could This Be Love?, Alexandra Leclère for Le Prix à Payer, Antoine Leonard-Maestrati for L'Avenir est Ailleurs, Thierry Lhermitte for L'Invité, Gilbert Melki for Anna M., Michel Ocelot for Azur and Asmar, Géraldine Pailhas for Le Prix à Payer, Céline Sciamma for Water Lilies, Emmanuelle Seigner for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Audrey Tautou for Hunting and Gathering, Laurent Tirard for Moliere, and Daniel Vigne for Jean de la Fontaine.
Over the past three years, French films have enjoyed a resurgence in the Australian market. Results for the first six months of 2007 were up by 25% over the same period in 2006. Acquisitions of French titles are also on the rise, bearing witness to a growing interest by audiences and professionals in French fare.
The 18 films released in Australia since January 1st have attracted close to 1.1 million spectators, including 885,000 admissions to French-language productions. Added to these figures are admissions to the French Film Festival, organized by the Alliance Française and the French Embassy with support from local distributors and exhibitors.
The top results to date are credited to La Vie en Rose (243,000 admissions), Paris, je t'aime (141,000 admissions), and Priceless (120,000 admissions). Among French-language titles, Arthur and the Minimoys (Arthur and the Invisibles) leads the way with 180,000 admissions.
In 2006, French films registered 1.355 million admissions in this territory, including 845,000 for French-language productions. The Emperor's Journey and Hidden scored the best results, tallying 435,000 and 131,000 admissions respectively.
Around 20 French films hit Australian screens in 2006, while close to 25 titles are expected to be released by the end of 2007.
Unifrance plans to continue its Australian press junkets on an annual basis.
