Unifrance Rendez-Vous Market in Le Havre Buzzes with Industry Talk and Major Film Deals!

The French audiovisual sector is gearing up for the Unifrance Rendez-Vous, a premier TV programming market and industry conference held in Le Havre from September 7-10. This pivotal event serves as a crucial platform for assessing evolving business trends, global developments, and how these factors reshape the domestic playing field, from new distribution models to content increasingly tailored for export. Unifrance President Gilles Pélisson addressed the pressing issues facing French distributors and producers, emphasizing the enduring strength of local content in the international market.

Pélisson acknowledged the turbulence within the international market, noting concerns among French distributors regarding consolidation and streaming dominance across Europe. Key questions revolve around the future models of European public broadcasters, the extent of local production and program acquisition by streamers, and how private free-to-air channels will navigate a shrinking advertising market. Despite these challenges, Pélisson maintained an optimistic outlook, highlighting the continuous demand for new content and welcoming approximately 130 buyers to Le Havre, confident in the exceptional diversity and relevance of French production.

A significant trend discussed is "hyper-distribution," a strategy born from the rise of streaming dominance. This approach involves distributing content across multiple platforms and channels, often in collaboration with rivals, to expand reach. While effective in making content like "Miraculous" simultaneously available globally, Pélisson cautioned that simple presence does not guarantee visibility, as content can easily get lost in vast catalogues. Therefore, Unifrance emphasizes tracking not only distribution but also performance data, such as audience market share and viewed hours, to truly understand a program's value and ensure quality production through adequate funding.

The international appetite for French content remains strong, with Europe serving as the core market where momentum is most solid. Poland has emerged as a leading territory for broadcasts on linear channels, while Germany stands out for its rich offering on the streaming side. Pélisson noted a growing demand for strong non-English alternatives, positioning France favorably despite buyers becoming more risk-averse and leaning towards proven IP. The strength of the French offering lies in its genre diversity, with animation being a flagship for foreign linear channels through franchises like "Miraculous" and "Grizzy & the Lemmings." On streaming platforms, fiction leads the way, with drama becoming France's top export genre in terms of value over the past two years. Documentary also maintains a steady presence at festivals and on platforms, while emerging markets show higher volume demand for price-sensitive and digital-driven content, making animation and formats particularly successful.

Despite animation being France’s top audiovisual export due to world-class studios, excellent training, and strong IP, the sector has seen sales decline. This is attributed to streamers and French broadcasters ordering fewer new projects and the global approach taken by major streamers. For instance, a global streamer producing a series like Netflix's "Asterix & Obelix: The Big Fight" integrates its international value into a single production figure, which counts as financing for a French production rather than an export sale. This obscures the true international success in sales and audience figures. To navigate this tougher market, animation producers are focusing on building franchises, accelerating co-productions to share risk, and designing content for both linear and streaming distribution from the outset. Successful examples include the "Totally Spies!" revival, "Robin Hood: Mischief in Sherwood," and the expanding "Miraculous" universe.

Amidst these industry discussions, Paris-based film and television studio SND, part of French media group M6, has acquired world sales rights for the high-end period drama "Alice: Pioneer of Cinema." This six-part series, ordered by HBO Max and France Télévisions, stars Oscar-nominee Bérénice Bejo as Alice Guy, recognized as the very first female fiction filmmaker. The drama is set to premiere globally at the Toronto Film Festival's Primetime section on September 14, ahead of its December airing, and will also be available on Movistar Plus+ in Spain, HBO Max in Belgium, and Crave in Canada.

Produced by France’s Wild Bunch and Ligne de Front, along with Belgium’s Panache Productions, La Compagnie Cinématographique, and Canada’s Sphere Media, "Alice: Pioneer of Cinema" tells the true, untold story of Alice Guy. She transitioned from a secretary at Gaumont to a pioneering female fiction filmmaker and movie mogul in the late 19th to early 20th century. After her rise at Gaumont, she moved to the U.S. and established the first film studio owned by a woman. Despite her groundbreaking achievements, she ultimately lost everything, and her name faded into obscurity for a century. Her monumental role is now finally gaining recognition, marked by a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award from the Directors Guild of America, presented by Martin Scorsese, and a golden statue at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games alongside other female luminaries.

The series, created by Tim Loane and Claire Lemaréchal from a script by André Gulluni, is helmed by Virginie Verrier and Guillaume Lonergan. In addition to Bérénice Bejo, the stellar cast includes Oscar Lesage, Thibaut Evrard, Irène Jacob, Sophie Nélisse, and François Arnaud. Alexis Reybet-Degat, SND head of international TV series distribution, expressed immense pride in bringing "Alice" to global broadcasters, noting its extraordinary story, major production scale and craft, and a heroine whose fight resonates with modern audiences. Caroline De Jenlis, producer at Ligne de Front, echoed this excitement, confident that SND's expertise will ensure "Alice's" story receives the global showcase it deserves. SND will begin negotiations for the series at the Unifrance Rendez-Vous, where "Alice: Pioneer of Cinema" will be showcased alongside other premium shows from major players such as A24, Amazon MGM, Netflix, and Apple.