2023 Is a documentary trade association possible? Is a documentary trade association possible?
Wednesday 23.08, 15:00, Salle L’Imaginaïre
For several years, France has produced more feature length documentaries than feature films. And yet the documentary film industry is less well known, less recognised and receives less support. And it is not an “Année du documentaire“ that will change things much. So who? Who can speak for the documentary industry on questions which concern us all? Is a documentary trade association possible? Desirable? Necessary?
Today, the commissions of support for production (advance on box office receipts, certification commission) and distribution (ASD) are mostly made up of professionals from the fiction film industry, people who know little about documentary. Who is in a position to ask the CNC equal representation for both documentary and fiction on these commissions?
For some, the documentary genre needs to be better identified and recognised by the CNC. The best way to achieve this aim would be the widest possible grouping of all documentary professionals (filmmakers, producers, distributors, festivals). This group could be a documentary trade association.
Others think that we can maximise use of existing structures (SRF, SPI, SDI, ACID…) in which documentary groups are already represented. Forming a kind of documentary archipelago, these groups communicate together. Could we reinforce the links between these groups and could they ask their respective syndicates to back their demands?
To point out the constraints that limit documentary development in France and to initiate collective reflection on the strategies necessary to break them, this public debate will first solicit contributions by Marion Lary (filmmaker and member of la Boucle Documentaire), Laurie Lassalle (director of Boum Boum), Guillaume Massart (producer for Triptyque Films) and Jacques Pelissier (distributor at Juste Doc) opening the way to a broad exchange of views with all present.