What public support should be granted to the film sector by the Member States? The sector is undoubtedly the best indicator of the cultural diversity existing within Europe. However, this diversity cannot be guaranteed without significant public support and successful promotion of European works. The French-speaking Community of Belgium is holding the Belgian Presidency’s first cultural seminar in Mons to examine these subjects. Film sector institutions and professionals have therefore been invited, on 4, 5 and 6 July 2010, to discuss the ‘audiovisual media services’ (AVMS) directive, the ‘Cinema’ Communication and support for cultural diversity.
Including the new media
The AVMS directive manages and promotes European works in traditional audiovisual services while also including new media described as ‘non-linear’ (such as video on demand services). The directive should have been transposed into all the national legal systems by December 2009. It is therefore now time to evaluate the implementation of these measures at local level.
What kind of public funding is needed?
The seminar, entitled ‘From the AVMS directive to the ‘Cinema’ communication: towards a global and coherent approach to European cinema’, also focuses on public funding for film. Within this context, in 2001 the European Commission adopted the ‘Cinema’ communication which lays down guidelines making it possible to assess the compatibility of film support schemes with European rules.
Given that this communication will expire at the end of 2012 and that a revised text is to be adopted, the following questions arise: should public support be provided at all stages in the production and distribution chain of a film, from writing to screening? How can the coexistence of cultural support and economic aid schemes contribute both to the development of a competitive cinematographic industry and to cultural diversity?
In addition, the debate on the issue of public support for the cinema will continue through the audiovisual section of the informal meeting of the Ministers for Culture and the Ministers for the Audiovisual Sector, to be held on 7 and 8 October in Brussels.