Emmanuel Macron poses as defender of French cinema “which has always resisted major crises”

This is called chasing victory. Jostled on the national and diplomatic scene, Emmanuel Macron has chosen to set milestones in the cultural sphere. French cinema, carried by A little something extra et Le Comte de Monte Cristo had a great summer. With all due respect to his Minister of Culture, the opportunity was ripe for the president to extol the merits of the French film industry and to plow the furrow of “cultural exception” in a long interview given to the American magazine Variety .

« We need films that are popular and aimed at the general public. I’m a big fan of these films myself. »rejoices Emmanuel Macron about the films produced by Artus and Pierre Niney, who are also enjoying successful careers abroad. The French magic potion? « We have a system of deductions from revenues with the CNC, which has done an extraordinary job »recalls the President of the Republic, welcoming « a cinema that has always resisted » by offering, at the same time, large productions and « films by young or established authors, which perhaps attract fewer people in theaters but which are nevertheless very creative ».

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At a time of widespread streaming and the GAFA assault on the Hollywood majors, the French model nevertheless resembles a comfortable Gallic village more than a machine to conquer the world. Emmanuel Macron recognizes this. « We still lack very large producers, broadcasters and a Netflix-type platform. Nothing is hopeless, he says. We have major players who are French: Vivendi, Canal+, Banijay, Mediawan. And then we have these essential distribution networks: MK2, Pathé, Gaumont… » With 180 million spectators in 2023, theaters continue their post-covid convalescence and the market is still the first in Europe, far ahead of the United Kingdom or Germany.

Emmanuel Macron also believes that France « held up very well » at the launch of streaming platforms. « We are very good at producing content, he declares. We have great actors, we have great writers, we have great directors. We have independent producers and we also have groups that produce a lot of documentaries, shorts, feature films and series. »

The objective is already to compete with European neighbors. As part of the France 2030 plan, the government has programmed 350 million euros in subsidies, part of which should allow French studios to double their surface area in order to compete with those of Pinewood in London, Babelsberg in Berlin and Cinecittà in Rome.

 

« We cannot fall into a system of denunciation where everyone is excluded without having the possibility of proving their innocence. »

Emmanuel Macron on the #MeToo movement

Another singularity of French cinema seems, in the eyes of Americans, much less glamorous. Seven years after the first revelations about Harvey Weinstein and the #MeToo wave that shook Hollywood, the turmoil is still strong on this side of the Atlantic. The Americans have particularly closely observed the presidential convolutions on the Gérard Depardieu file. At the end of December, Emmanuel Macron stepped up to defend a « huge actor » Who « makes France proud ». Then changed his mind, a few months later, assuring that he had not « never defended an aggressor against victims ». As a trial for Gérard Depardieu approaches, Variety asks Emmanuel Macron on this subject. « We must first address women who have suffered sexual and gender-based violence and whose lives have been traumatized, whose careers, in some cases, have been destroyed. », he believes. Before denouncing « a form of complacency, of omerta, of habits that have taken hold and are intolerable ». « But I believe in the presumption of innocencehe adds. We must always find the right rules so that victims are respected, that their words are taken into account, that justice is done and above all that everyone is protected for the future so that this does not happen again. Then, we must create the conditions for living together. We cannot fall into a system of denunciation where everyone is excluded without having the possibility of proving their innocence or responding to the accusations. »

 

We will have to regulate the responsibility of the actors who disseminate AI

Emmanuel Macron

At a time when Netflix and Disney+ dominate the world of streaming, cinema must also adapt to artificial intelligence. It makes it possible to automate production, reuse voices and even simulate actor performances digitally. If this progress opens up new possibilities, it also caused a strike by actors and screenwriters in Hollywood, who denounced its abuses. « There is a race for innovation, so we must participate »assures Emmanuel Macron. But the latter recognizes that the laws in force, allowing the protection of copyright, are not well regulated or effective. « We must continue to train and retain talent, invest more public and private money (…) But we will have to regulate the responsibility of the actors who disseminate AI. We will have to define the rules to know what is true and what is false. How to know for sure it’s a real video ? » These questions will be debated at a global summit for action on artificial intelligence, organized in France, on February 10 and 11.