The largest French-speaking tv market of the 12 months kicks off subsequent week, marking its third 12 months within the northern French metropolis of Le Havre.
Organized by Unifrance, the group that promotes French tv and cinema, the annual Rendez-Vous has a special ambiance than most markets. There may be an occasions calendar which implies patrons and sellers eat, drink and attend a diary of occasions collectively, along with present screenings and negotiations all through the day.
Regardless that it’s a large-scale occasion, the configuration provides the Rendez-Vous a singular ambiance. In a quickly altering worldwide tv sector the place many occasions are underneath strain, creating this ambiance is a part of the plan, says Daniela Elstner, CEO of Unifrance.
“The query is how do you retain up with what folks need from a market at a time when issues are altering,” she says. “We have now to one way or the other reply numerous these questions. Possibly we do not have all of the solutions, however what we are able to do is create a second the place everyone seems to be collectively. These are all individuals who love what they do and are obsessed with it, and we need to deliver French packages to the world.
“It’s not nearly what they challenge throughout the day, but in addition how we is usually a place the place everybody exchanges concepts and data after which discovers new issues.”
Gathering in Le Havre
Networking with patrons and sellers at a sequence of social occasions at Rendez-Vous
Unifrance
The primary French distributors are on the town, as standard. The variety of patrons is consistent with final 12 months, with round 135 anticipated in Le Havre. There may be a world unfold, with acquisition managers principally coming from Europe, but in addition newcomers from Brazil and South Korea making the journey. Main European broadcasters together with RAI, RTVE and ZDF will probably be current, in addition to pay TV corporations together with Sky Italia and patrons of HBO, masking Central Europe.
Traditionally in Saint Tropez then in Biarritz, Le Havre has hosted the Rendez-Vous for 3 years. Assist from the host metropolis and area helped the Rendez-Vous, which has a big gross sales space, a screening room and screening stands for patrons. The town and the broader Normandy area are actually concerned within the debates, with the opening night organized on the metropolis’s Museum of Fashionable Artwork and hosted by Édouard Philippe, mayor of Le Havre. The closing takes place on the historic abbey of Montivilliers and is hosted by Hervé Morin, president of the Normandy Area.
“The involvement of town of Le Havre and in addition of the area is absolutely nice as a result of we had not skilled this a lot earlier than. [in previous locations]”, says Elstner.
Each assembly counts
Shiny Minds aka Astrid and Raphaëlle
Patrick Fouque, FTV – JLA
Assist from the area is useful, however the actuality is that patrons are attending fewer occasions and programming and journey budgets are underneath strain.
On this context, market organizers should be sure that any occasion affords patrons and sellers a transparent return on funding.
“They must be reassured and every thing needs to be very sensible and excellent by way of group, in order that they’ll actually focus on their conferences, what they’re taking a look at and the market,” says Elstner.
The client-seller dynamic can be altering with much less journey, which implies fewer face-to-face conferences, she provides. “There was once numerous markets, so perhaps a purchaser with a gathering with a gross sales agent would have one in 5 conferences with them in a 12 months. But when it is down to at least one in two conferences a 12 months, there’s extra strain.”
Modifications within the trade
Trade gamers who take part in Rendez-Vous debates historically see the revelation of annual French-language programming export statistics. This 12 months, a further layer of data will probably be introduced with figures from the Nationwide Cinema Middle, the CNC.
In latest occasions, knowledge has illustrated how France has turn into a significant producer of cozy crimes, with reveals like this one from France TV Distribution Astrid and Raphaëlleat Gaumont The Artwork of CrimeWorldwide Federation Prison Tropics and TF1 Excessive mental potential main the cost, the latter being redone as Excessive potential for the American community ABC. Animation, which has lengthy been a pillar of French enterprise, is nevertheless struggling.
Extra broadly, linear channels specifically are struggling the repercussions, with declining budgets and new releases. This can be a broader pattern that can probably affect French tv export figures this 12 months.
Regardless of the challenges, Unifrance’s position is to strengthen the worldwide marketplace for French reveals, believes Elstner.
“All of us face just about the identical challenges everywhere in the world. We won’t actually assist the packages themselves promote, however we may also help our gross sales brokers get in form and make their lives simpler.”
The Deadline French TV Disruptor Award will probably be introduced to Jeremy Zag, founding father of the studio behind the profitable international animation franchise of French origin. Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noirwhich constitutes a optimistic level for the French animation trade. The occasion, happening on the aforementioned Montivilliers Abbey, captures the spirit of Rendez-Vous, with acquisitions managers and distributors mingling whereas native cooks showcase regional dishes.
Zag takes dwelling the Deadline honor, which went to Fanny Herrero final 12 months. “His profession is really distinctive,” says Elstner. “It’s very attention-grabbing to see how, from the start, he put a complete system in place, not solely to create a sequence or a movie, but in addition a whole universe with nice values.”
The Unifrance Rendez-Vous runs from September 7 to 10 in Le Havre.