France Télévisions film chief Manuel Alduy has warned that the far-right Rassemblement National’s plan to privatize public broadcasting would devastate French cinema, stripping it from one of its biggest financiers. And since there are not enough such films for free commercial television, there will be fewer French films produced and impoverished French films in financing,” said Alduy, who oversees cinema and international series at France Télévisions, in a message sent to Variety. His comments come as the Rassemblement National (RN), led by Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, is leading polls in the run up to the 2027 presidential election (whose first round will take place on April 18).
Like any far right party, the Rassemblement National represents a major threat to the cultural sector. But in France, that threat is even more potent because the country’s vibrant film community relies significantly on investments from broadcasters, as well as subsidies distributed by the National Film Board (CNC) to finance films. In its latest budget proposal, unveiled earlier this month, the party outlined plans to dismantle the National Film Board, privatize public broadcasting and slash public broadcasting funding by €3.5 billion by 2028, a cut of more than 90%, while keeping a handful of outlets, including Arte and franceinfo, in public hands.
France Télévisions is one of the pillars of France’s film financing system, investing more than €60 million annually in the pre-financing of over 60 films, nearly a third of which are first or second features. Many of these movies would struggle to attract financing from commercial broadcasters, such as TF1 or M6, or even streamers, whose investments tend to be concentrated on more mainstream fare. It’s not just French cinema that would be impacted by the loss of public television’s support.
International independent cinema would also feel the blow. At Cannes this year, 81% of the movies that world premiered in the official selection were financed by France. More specifically, France Televisions co-financed seven films out of the 22-title competition.
Besides French-language movies like Jeanne Herry‘s “Another Day” starring Adele Exarchooulos, it backed films such as Cristian Mungiu’s Palme d’Or winning “Fjord,” Ryūsuke Hamaguchi’s “All of a Sudden” and James Gray’s “Paper Tiger.” The CNC, meanwhile, backed 69 movies playing in the official selection. The CNC ressources don’t come from taxpayers, but rather from a levy on all theatrical admissions (including Hollywood blockbusters) that are injected back into the industry — a rare, virtuous model that is envied by many film communities around the world. France Televisions is already facing a €47-million cut in funding for 2027 as part of its Finance Law (setting the national government’s budget), and a further €47 million cut in subsidies; while lawmakers are considering plans to divert some of the CNC’s resources into state coffers.
More than 170 filmmakers, including Palme d’Or winners Jacques Audiard, Justine Triet and the Dardenne brothers, alongside Costa-Gavras, Michel Hazanavicius, Julia Ducournau, Claire Denis, Mati Diop and Agnès Jaoui, have signed an open letter published in Le Monde on Oct. 14 warning that the cuts could lead to 400 fewer French films being produced over five years. They also called for a new cinema law to protect the financing system and adapt it to the streaming era. The proposed tax hike, included in the government’s draft 2027 finance bill, would cost Canal+ approximately €200 million annually, according to chairman Maxime Saada.
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