The month of March will be marked by Unifrance events in New York, London, and Edinburgh.
In the United States, French films' market share reached 1% in 2010, with 13 million admissions registered. In the United Kingdom, the 40 titles released in 2010 attracted 2.57 million spectators, capturing 1.23% of the market.
In both cases, the majority of French productions suffer from an elitist distribution strategy that restricts their exposure to established art house theaters in New York, Los Angeles, and London. These films generally receive good critical acclaim, adding to the intellectual and artistic aura of French films.
It is for this reason that Unifrance is currently intensifying its activities in these key territories, providing support to distributors and the commercial release of films, as well as to festivals screening new titles acquired in the territory, and Cinema Lessons held at universities.
The Rendez-vous with French Cinema events act as a showcase that encourage a new perspective on French cinema, as reflected in the delegations present and the theaters hosting the events: the BAM, the Lincoln Center, and the IFC Center in New York, and the Curzon Soho and the BFI in London.
| Antoine de Clermont-Tonnerre and Régine Hatchondo |
