Canal+ owner Vivendi is still exploring a stock split, as it today posted first quarter revenues up significantly.
France-based Vivendi posted Q1 revenues of €4.28B ($4.6B), up 5.4% on 2023’s numbers when using constant currencies and and the businesses the firm owns today. No earnings were revealed in the unaudited numbers.
Within those numbers, Canal+ saw revenues grow 4.3% year-on-year to €1.5B (+3.5% at constant currency and perimeter). International revenues were up 5.8% thanks to subscriber growth, particularly in Africa, where Canal+ has been buying up shares in MultiChoice and looks set to take over the South African giant. Mainland France TV operations revenue was up over 5%.
However, Studiocanal saw revenues decline compared with 2023, when the likes of Alibi.com 2 and John Wick 2 had significant domestic and international launches.
Other notable performances saw social video platform Dailymotion increase revenues by 24.8%, with the ‘New Initiatives’ division it is housed in posting €42M in revenues overall.
France-based Vivendi posted Q1 revenues of €4.28B ($4.6B), up 5.4% on 2023’s numbers when using constant currencies and and the businesses the firm owns today. No earnings were revealed in the unaudited numbers.
Within those numbers, Canal+ saw revenues grow 4.3% year-on-year to €1.5B (+3.5% at constant currency and perimeter). International revenues were up 5.8% thanks to subscriber growth, particularly in Africa, where Canal+ has been buying up shares in MultiChoice and looks set to take over the South African giant. Mainland France TV operations revenue was up over 5%.
However, Studiocanal saw revenues decline compared with 2023, when the likes of Alibi.com 2 and John Wick 2 had significant domestic and international launches.
Other notable performances saw social video platform Dailymotion increase revenues by 24.8%, with the ‘New Initiatives’ division it is housed in posting €42M in revenues overall.
- 4/29/2024
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Growth at acquired publisher Lagardere, pay TV unit Canal+ Group, and advertising giant Havas helped drive first-quarter revenue at French media and telecommunications conglomerate Vivendi, which is also moving ahead with studying a possible split into four separate companies.
Vivendi posted quarterly revenue of €4.28 billion ($4.59 billion) on Monday, an increase of 5.4 percent over the year-ago period when using constant currencies and focusing on the businesses that the company owns now. The company, led by chairman Yannick Bolloré and CEO Arnaud de Puyfontaine, did not disclose its earnings before interest, taxes and amortization (Ebita) on Monday.
Management touted strong growth of its core units, which has encouraged it to consider a split of the company since late last year. “Since the distribution and listing of Universal Music Group in 2021, Vivendi has endured a significantly high conglomerate discount, substantially reducing its valuation and thereby
limiting its ability to carry out external growth transactions for its subsidiaries,...
Vivendi posted quarterly revenue of €4.28 billion ($4.59 billion) on Monday, an increase of 5.4 percent over the year-ago period when using constant currencies and focusing on the businesses that the company owns now. The company, led by chairman Yannick Bolloré and CEO Arnaud de Puyfontaine, did not disclose its earnings before interest, taxes and amortization (Ebita) on Monday.
Management touted strong growth of its core units, which has encouraged it to consider a split of the company since late last year. “Since the distribution and listing of Universal Music Group in 2021, Vivendi has endured a significantly high conglomerate discount, substantially reducing its valuation and thereby
limiting its ability to carry out external growth transactions for its subsidiaries,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After a challenging start to the year, the French box office steadied in March with 15 million tickets sold, led by Warner Bros’ Dune: Part Two.
This was a dip of just 4.8% on March 2023. While not desirable, this is much less than the dip of 16.4% in February 2024 compared to the same month the year before which was buoyed by crowd-pleasing French titles Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom and Alibi.com 2 that dominated the box office in early 2023. Disney’s Avatar: The Way Of Water was also still in cinemas through February 2023.
Admissions for the first quarter of 2024 reached 43.7 million. 10% less...
This was a dip of just 4.8% on March 2023. While not desirable, this is much less than the dip of 16.4% in February 2024 compared to the same month the year before which was buoyed by crowd-pleasing French titles Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom and Alibi.com 2 that dominated the box office in early 2023. Disney’s Avatar: The Way Of Water was also still in cinemas through February 2023.
Admissions for the first quarter of 2024 reached 43.7 million. 10% less...
- 4/3/2024
- ScreenDaily
The Kinepolis Group – which operates 109 cinemas worldwide with 1,131 screens and more than 200,000 seats – has posted record results for 2023.
The Belgium-based international exhibitor said it had achieved its highest ever revenue, thanks to a 20.6% hike in visitors to 35.3M, adding that the results were a sign that it had “completely recovered” from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Revenue increased by 21.1% to $657M (€605.5M), with Ebitdal increasing by 32.8% to $164M (€151.4M). Net profit doubled to $60.8M (€56.1M).
Within the overall revenue figure, there had been a 22.1% increase in box office returns to $372M (€318.6M) and a 24.2% increase in revenue from sale of drinks and snacks to $225M (€192.8M), as a result of higher consumption per visitor and inflation-compensating price increases in almost all the countries.
The exhibitor said that alongside the increase in admissions, its performance had also been boosted by higher spending per visitor, as a result of its investment...
The Belgium-based international exhibitor said it had achieved its highest ever revenue, thanks to a 20.6% hike in visitors to 35.3M, adding that the results were a sign that it had “completely recovered” from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Revenue increased by 21.1% to $657M (€605.5M), with Ebitdal increasing by 32.8% to $164M (€151.4M). Net profit doubled to $60.8M (€56.1M).
Within the overall revenue figure, there had been a 22.1% increase in box office returns to $372M (€318.6M) and a 24.2% increase in revenue from sale of drinks and snacks to $225M (€192.8M), as a result of higher consumption per visitor and inflation-compensating price increases in almost all the countries.
The exhibitor said that alongside the increase in admissions, its performance had also been boosted by higher spending per visitor, as a result of its investment...
- 2/22/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
The Barbenheimer phenomenon and Spider-Man helped boost European cinemagoing and box office in 2023.
“2023 proved to be a successful year for European cinemas thanks to smash-hit international titles including Barbie, Oppenheimer, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One and Wonka, as well as a wide range of highly popular national releases,” the International Union of Cinemas (Unic) said on Wednesday, based on preliminary estimates.
With figures for several territories still to be confirmed, Unic estimated that European admissions increased by 21 percent last year and that total box office for the year reached around €7.1 billion ($7.6 billion), a gain of 24 percent in Europe and 25 percent in the European Union compared with 2022. The latter would see the figure for the year come in just 8 percent below the pre-pandemic results for the 2017-2019 period.
Unic, which represents European cinema operators and trade associations in 39 territories, said...
“2023 proved to be a successful year for European cinemas thanks to smash-hit international titles including Barbie, Oppenheimer, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One and Wonka, as well as a wide range of highly popular national releases,” the International Union of Cinemas (Unic) said on Wednesday, based on preliminary estimates.
With figures for several territories still to be confirmed, Unic estimated that European admissions increased by 21 percent last year and that total box office for the year reached around €7.1 billion ($7.6 billion), a gain of 24 percent in Europe and 25 percent in the European Union compared with 2022. The latter would see the figure for the year come in just 8 percent below the pre-pandemic results for the 2017-2019 period.
Unic, which represents European cinema operators and trade associations in 39 territories, said...
- 2/14/2024
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
By admissions, the 2023 France box office was down by 13.1% on the 2017-2019 average, the smallest dip in Europe.
France’s box office hit 181 million ticket sales in 2023, powered by combination of US hits led by The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Barbie, Avatar: The Way of Water and a few French twists, according to figures from the Cnc.
This is a rise of 18.9% on 2022’s 152 million admissions.
Total box office gross is estimated to be €1.3bn based on an average ticket price of €7.2. The final total is likely to be even higher when the 2023 average ticket price is calculated mid-year.
While...
France’s box office hit 181 million ticket sales in 2023, powered by combination of US hits led by The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Barbie, Avatar: The Way of Water and a few French twists, according to figures from the Cnc.
This is a rise of 18.9% on 2022’s 152 million admissions.
Total box office gross is estimated to be €1.3bn based on an average ticket price of €7.2. The final total is likely to be even higher when the 2023 average ticket price is calculated mid-year.
While...
- 1/2/2024
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
The French box office jumped 19% in 2023 with an estimated €1.3 billion ($1.4 billion) grossed from 181.2 million tickets, according to Comscore France.
Unlike in 2022, when the top 10 was exclusively dominated by U.S. movies, 2023 was bolstered by a mix of Hollywood blockbusters and French fare. Notably, “Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom” — Pathé’s big-budget comedy adventure inspired by the cult French comics — sold slightly more tickets than Christopher Nolan’s epic “Oppenheimer” from Universal.
Two other French movies ranked in the top 10: Studiocanal’s “Alibi.com 2,” the second installment of Philippe Laucheau’s comedy series riffing on adultery, and Pathé’s “The Three Musketeers: d’Artagnan” (pictured), the first of a two-part adventure saga based on Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel. The three top-grossers of 2023 in France were “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” the animated video game adaptation from Universal, Illumination and Nintendo; Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” from Warner Bros.; and James Cameron...
Unlike in 2022, when the top 10 was exclusively dominated by U.S. movies, 2023 was bolstered by a mix of Hollywood blockbusters and French fare. Notably, “Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom” — Pathé’s big-budget comedy adventure inspired by the cult French comics — sold slightly more tickets than Christopher Nolan’s epic “Oppenheimer” from Universal.
Two other French movies ranked in the top 10: Studiocanal’s “Alibi.com 2,” the second installment of Philippe Laucheau’s comedy series riffing on adultery, and Pathé’s “The Three Musketeers: d’Artagnan” (pictured), the first of a two-part adventure saga based on Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel. The three top-grossers of 2023 in France were “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” the animated video game adaptation from Universal, Illumination and Nintendo; Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” from Warner Bros.; and James Cameron...
- 1/2/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
France closed out the cinema year on a high note, recording 181 million theater admissions for 2023, a 18.9 percent jump compared with 2022.
The official box office figures, released Tuesday by state cinema body Cnc, are still down double digits — 13.1 percent — from average admissions in the pre-covid years between 2017 and 2019. But France’s bounceback has been faster and more robust than that in quite a few other territories.
Estimates from box office analysis firm Comscore show that 2023 U.S. revenue to the end of November was still 21 percent off pre-covid averages in the 2017-2019 period. The U.K. showed a 13 percent lag behind its pre-pandemic period. Germany recorded 83 million admissions through November 2023, down 14 percent from the 2017-2019 average. Italy was off 22 percent, Spain 24 percent, and South Korea 47 percent.
U.S. films topped the French admissions charts in 2023, led by Universal Pictures’ The Super Mario Brothers, which racked up 7.15 million admissions, followed by Warner Bros....
The official box office figures, released Tuesday by state cinema body Cnc, are still down double digits — 13.1 percent — from average admissions in the pre-covid years between 2017 and 2019. But France’s bounceback has been faster and more robust than that in quite a few other territories.
Estimates from box office analysis firm Comscore show that 2023 U.S. revenue to the end of November was still 21 percent off pre-covid averages in the 2017-2019 period. The U.K. showed a 13 percent lag behind its pre-pandemic period. Germany recorded 83 million admissions through November 2023, down 14 percent from the 2017-2019 average. Italy was off 22 percent, Spain 24 percent, and South Korea 47 percent.
U.S. films topped the French admissions charts in 2023, led by Universal Pictures’ The Super Mario Brothers, which racked up 7.15 million admissions, followed by Warner Bros....
- 1/2/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Despite being plagued by harsh reviews from French critics and a derisive retaliation by director Ridley Scott, “Napoleon” had a strong opening in France on Wednesday, grossing an estimated $1.019 million from approximately 120,000 tickets sold on its opening day on Wednesday.
The French B.O. figure includes about 8,000 tickets sold at preview screenings across France, notably in Paris where Sony Pictures held a lavish world premiere of the historical epic on Nov. 14, a few days after the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike. “Napoleon”‘s French box office on accounts for nearly a third of the $3.578 million grossed by the film internationally since debuting on Wednesday. So far, the movie has grossed $11.303 million globally.
“Napoleon,” which stars Joaquin Phoenix as the infamous French emperor and Vanessa Kirby as his wife, Joséphine de Beauharnais, has been panned by French critics over its alleged historical inaccuracies and anti-French stance. Additionally, Phoenix’s performance...
The French B.O. figure includes about 8,000 tickets sold at preview screenings across France, notably in Paris where Sony Pictures held a lavish world premiere of the historical epic on Nov. 14, a few days after the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike. “Napoleon”‘s French box office on accounts for nearly a third of the $3.578 million grossed by the film internationally since debuting on Wednesday. So far, the movie has grossed $11.303 million globally.
“Napoleon,” which stars Joaquin Phoenix as the infamous French emperor and Vanessa Kirby as his wife, Joséphine de Beauharnais, has been panned by French critics over its alleged historical inaccuracies and anti-French stance. Additionally, Phoenix’s performance...
- 11/24/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Ticket sales in July up 33.13% compared with same month in 2022; Barbie and Oppenheimer alone accounted for 25% of admissions.
After a slow summer start with dipping ticket sales in June, the French box office jumped back to life in July with 18.38m tickets sold, powered by ‘Barbenheimer’ and US blockbusters. Ticket sales were up 33.3% compared to the same month in 2022 and 10.1% more than the pre-pandemic 2017-2019 average.
Warner Bros’ Barbie and Universal’s Oppenheimer alone accounted for 25% of ticket sales for the month. Barbie led the pack with 2.6m admissions followed by Indiana Jones And The Dial of Destiny, released on June 28 in France,...
After a slow summer start with dipping ticket sales in June, the French box office jumped back to life in July with 18.38m tickets sold, powered by ‘Barbenheimer’ and US blockbusters. Ticket sales were up 33.3% compared to the same month in 2022 and 10.1% more than the pre-pandemic 2017-2019 average.
Warner Bros’ Barbie and Universal’s Oppenheimer alone accounted for 25% of ticket sales for the month. Barbie led the pack with 2.6m admissions followed by Indiana Jones And The Dial of Destiny, released on June 28 in France,...
- 8/2/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
New Spanish outfit has also acquired four high profile titles for distribution.
Beta Fiction Spain (Bfs) is to remake hit French comedy Alibi.com in Spanish, and has also acquired four high profile titles for distribution in Spain.
Coartadas S.L. (which translates as Alibis S.L.) is being written by Curro Velázquez, scriptwriter of Spanish hit Brain Drain and cop comedy series Paco’s Men. The director is still to be determined.
The second instalment of Philippe Lacheau’s film series, Alibi.com 2, was released through Studiocanal on February 8 in France and currently ranks second in the overall 2023 French box office...
Beta Fiction Spain (Bfs) is to remake hit French comedy Alibi.com in Spanish, and has also acquired four high profile titles for distribution in Spain.
Coartadas S.L. (which translates as Alibis S.L.) is being written by Curro Velázquez, scriptwriter of Spanish hit Brain Drain and cop comedy series Paco’s Men. The director is still to be determined.
The second instalment of Philippe Lacheau’s film series, Alibi.com 2, was released through Studiocanal on February 8 in France and currently ranks second in the overall 2023 French box office...
- 6/23/2023
- by Emilio Mayorga
- ScreenDaily
While unveiling its slate of new French originals and acquisitions on Monday, Prime Video announced that it would skip a French theatrical release for “Challengers,” Luca Guadagnino’s anticipated tennis drama. The film, which stars Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and “West Side Story” star Mike Faist, will still be released in theaters in all other territories.
During a posh press event hosted at the Pavillon Royal on the outskirts of Paris, Brigitte Ricou-Bellan, Prime Video’s country managing director for France, said the strategic move by the Amazon streamer resulted from France’s notoriously strict windowing rules, which demands streamers to wait 15 to 17 months after a theatrical roll out before making a new film available on their services. The rule has led other studios to opt to skip French cinemas for new releases before, such as Disney’s decision to debut “Strange World” on streaming.
“We’re a strong partner for French cinema and well-established talent.
During a posh press event hosted at the Pavillon Royal on the outskirts of Paris, Brigitte Ricou-Bellan, Prime Video’s country managing director for France, said the strategic move by the Amazon streamer resulted from France’s notoriously strict windowing rules, which demands streamers to wait 15 to 17 months after a theatrical roll out before making a new film available on their services. The rule has led other studios to opt to skip French cinemas for new releases before, such as Disney’s decision to debut “Strange World” on streaming.
“We’re a strong partner for French cinema and well-established talent.
- 6/19/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
After a few pandemic-addled years, the global box office is finally ready to feel the warmth of the studios’ tentpole releases.
Though the swing-back to pre-pandemic release schedules is happening at different speeds in each market, the quartet of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” “Fast X,” “The Little Mermaid” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” — not to mention “The Super Mario Bros Movie” before them — have announced the arrival of Hollywood’s version of summer across much of the planet.
France saw admissions climb by 33% in the first five months of 2023, compared with the equivalent period last year, according to data from the Cnc (National Film Board). Compared with an average figure for 2017 to 2019, the performance of the 2023 box office is (only) 12% behind. France’s recovery has been powered by a string of successful local films including “Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom,” “Alibi.com 2,” “The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan,” “The Crime Is Mine...
Though the swing-back to pre-pandemic release schedules is happening at different speeds in each market, the quartet of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” “Fast X,” “The Little Mermaid” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” — not to mention “The Super Mario Bros Movie” before them — have announced the arrival of Hollywood’s version of summer across much of the planet.
France saw admissions climb by 33% in the first five months of 2023, compared with the equivalent period last year, according to data from the Cnc (National Film Board). Compared with an average figure for 2017 to 2019, the performance of the 2023 box office is (only) 12% behind. France’s recovery has been powered by a string of successful local films including “Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom,” “Alibi.com 2,” “The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan,” “The Crime Is Mine...
- 6/7/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Aside from its Palme d’Or for Justine Triet’s “Anatomy of a Fall,” the French cinema world is also celebrating the near-complete recovery of French box office after the pandemic.
Ticket sales are still 11.6 % down on the average levels of 2017 to 2019, but the good news is that the B.O. jumped by 33% with 82.38 million admissions during the first five months of 2023, according to the Cnc (National Film Board).
The upward trend is driven by the spike in anticipated U.S. movies being released — they skyrocketed from 29 in 2022 to 51 in 2023 during the first five months, according to Comscore France. There’s also been a tide of successful French movies, ranging from big-budget, franchise-based movies like Guillaume Canet’s “Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom,” Philippe Lacheau’s “Alibi.com 2” and Martin Bourboulon’s “The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan,” to original fare like the Omar Sy starrer “Father and Soldier” and François Ozon...
Ticket sales are still 11.6 % down on the average levels of 2017 to 2019, but the good news is that the B.O. jumped by 33% with 82.38 million admissions during the first five months of 2023, according to the Cnc (National Film Board).
The upward trend is driven by the spike in anticipated U.S. movies being released — they skyrocketed from 29 in 2022 to 51 in 2023 during the first five months, according to Comscore France. There’s also been a tide of successful French movies, ranging from big-budget, franchise-based movies like Guillaume Canet’s “Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom,” Philippe Lacheau’s “Alibi.com 2” and Martin Bourboulon’s “The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan,” to original fare like the Omar Sy starrer “Father and Soldier” and François Ozon...
- 6/2/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
France tv distribution has boarded “Christmas Carole” (“Noël au balcon”), a comedy starring Didier Bourdon (“Alibi.com 2”) and Noemie Lvovsky (“Camille Rewinds”). The company has launched sales on the project at the Cannes market.
“Christmas Carole” is directed by Jeanne Gottesdiener, and produced by Belga Studios (“Waiting for Banjangles,” “Benedetta”) and Polaris Film Production, in co-production with M6 Films.
Set around Christmas, the movie revolves around a small-town mayoress, Carole, who is helping the inhabitants of her municipality with the festivities while her devoted husband Alain organizes the Christmas Eve celebrations at home. The kids are arriving, soon all hopes of a peaceful Christmas melt away as the family traditions are called into question.
The cast also includes Jules Sagot (“Hashtag Boomer”), Christophe Montenez (“For my country”), Alice Daubelcour (“Love (and Trouble) in Paris”) and Janaïna Halloy-Fokan (“Inexorable”).
“Christmas Carole” is produced by Christophe Mazodier at Polaris Film Production, Patrick Vandenbosch...
“Christmas Carole” is directed by Jeanne Gottesdiener, and produced by Belga Studios (“Waiting for Banjangles,” “Benedetta”) and Polaris Film Production, in co-production with M6 Films.
Set around Christmas, the movie revolves around a small-town mayoress, Carole, who is helping the inhabitants of her municipality with the festivities while her devoted husband Alain organizes the Christmas Eve celebrations at home. The kids are arriving, soon all hopes of a peaceful Christmas melt away as the family traditions are called into question.
The cast also includes Jules Sagot (“Hashtag Boomer”), Christophe Montenez (“For my country”), Alice Daubelcour (“Love (and Trouble) in Paris”) and Janaïna Halloy-Fokan (“Inexorable”).
“Christmas Carole” is produced by Christophe Mazodier at Polaris Film Production, Patrick Vandenbosch...
- 5/22/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Philippe Lacheau’s comedy sequel is in top three best peforming films at French box office this year.
Philippe Lacheau’s French box office hit Alibi.com 2 has inked multiple international sales through Newen Connect as the film continues its theatrical reign at home.
Newen has sold the comedy sequel to 2017’s Alibi.com across Europe including Zdf for German-speaking territories, Flins & Piniculas in Spain, Eagle Pictures in Italy, Lusomundo in Portugal and Estin Film for the Baltic States. The film is also headed to Shoval in Israel, Red Apollo in China, New Select in Japan and Skeye Inflight & Air France.
Philippe Lacheau’s French box office hit Alibi.com 2 has inked multiple international sales through Newen Connect as the film continues its theatrical reign at home.
Newen has sold the comedy sequel to 2017’s Alibi.com across Europe including Zdf for German-speaking territories, Flins & Piniculas in Spain, Eagle Pictures in Italy, Lusomundo in Portugal and Estin Film for the Baltic States. The film is also headed to Shoval in Israel, Red Apollo in China, New Select in Japan and Skeye Inflight & Air France.
- 5/12/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
Lucas Bernard’s romantic comedy ’In The Sub For Love’ is another new acquisition for French studio.
French studio Gaumont has unveiled a hefty genre-hopping Cannes slate complete with all new acquisitions Gilles de Maistre’s family adventure Moon The Panda, Stéphane Brizé’s romance drama Out Of Season and Lucas Bernard’s romantic comedy In The Sub For Love in addition to a slew of market premieres and official selection festival titles.
New acquisitions
Moon The Panda is the latest film from the master of the human-animal adventure tale Gilles de Maistre following Mia And The White Lion and The Wolf And The Lion.
French studio Gaumont has unveiled a hefty genre-hopping Cannes slate complete with all new acquisitions Gilles de Maistre’s family adventure Moon The Panda, Stéphane Brizé’s romance drama Out Of Season and Lucas Bernard’s romantic comedy In The Sub For Love in addition to a slew of market premieres and official selection festival titles.
New acquisitions
Moon The Panda is the latest film from the master of the human-animal adventure tale Gilles de Maistre following Mia And The White Lion and The Wolf And The Lion.
- 5/10/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
Vivendi, the parent company of French pay TV banner Canal+ Group, has sees revenues rise by 3.3% to €2.29 billion ($2.52 billion) during the first quarter of 2023.
Vivendi attributes the growth to all its subsidiaries, in particular Studiocanal, the film and TV production and distribution company of Canal+, whose revenues went up by 13.6% compared with the first quarter of 2022 driven by the success of several films, including the comedy “Alibi.com 2” and “John Wick 4.”
Among the several high profile deals signed by the company during the first quarter, Canal+ inked an agreement with French telco Orange to acquire all shares of its pay TV package Ocs, as well as Orange Studio, the film and series co-production subsidiary.
The company’s video game banner Gameloft saw its business jump by 14%, boosted by its new game Disney Dreamlight Valley. Another popular game, Disney Speedstorm, launched this month.
Yannick Bolloré, chairman of the supervisory board of Vivendi,...
Vivendi attributes the growth to all its subsidiaries, in particular Studiocanal, the film and TV production and distribution company of Canal+, whose revenues went up by 13.6% compared with the first quarter of 2022 driven by the success of several films, including the comedy “Alibi.com 2” and “John Wick 4.”
Among the several high profile deals signed by the company during the first quarter, Canal+ inked an agreement with French telco Orange to acquire all shares of its pay TV package Ocs, as well as Orange Studio, the film and series co-production subsidiary.
The company’s video game banner Gameloft saw its business jump by 14%, boosted by its new game Disney Dreamlight Valley. Another popular game, Disney Speedstorm, launched this month.
Yannick Bolloré, chairman of the supervisory board of Vivendi,...
- 4/24/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
The second edition of the French Comedy Club unfolds at the Lumière Cinéma in Beverly Hills this weekend.
The event, which is open to cinema industry professionals and the public, aims to generate business and raise awareness about French comedy.
Olivier Albou and Laurence Schonberg at Paris-based sales and production company Other Angle Pictures have spearheaded the initiative, with the support of French export body Unifrance and artists residencies body Villa Albertine.
Over the past decade, their company has brought a raft of French comedies to the international market including Netflix hits Spoiled Brats and The Last Mercenary.
This year’s line-up includes the Other Angle title Sweet Little Things as well as Alibi.com 2, which is sold by Newen Connect, and How To Survive Without Mum and Stay With Us, which are both handled internationally by Studiocanal.
The showcase opens Saturday with Ludovic Bernard’s How To Survive Without Mum,...
The event, which is open to cinema industry professionals and the public, aims to generate business and raise awareness about French comedy.
Olivier Albou and Laurence Schonberg at Paris-based sales and production company Other Angle Pictures have spearheaded the initiative, with the support of French export body Unifrance and artists residencies body Villa Albertine.
Over the past decade, their company has brought a raft of French comedies to the international market including Netflix hits Spoiled Brats and The Last Mercenary.
This year’s line-up includes the Other Angle title Sweet Little Things as well as Alibi.com 2, which is sold by Newen Connect, and How To Survive Without Mum and Stay With Us, which are both handled internationally by Studiocanal.
The showcase opens Saturday with Ludovic Bernard’s How To Survive Without Mum,...
- 4/15/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
The blockbuster French cast of Amazon Prime Video’s third season of “Lol: Qui rit, qui sort” speaks volumes about the Japanese variety format’s tremendous popularity in France.
The Amazon Original series, adapted from the format “Lol: Last One Laughing,” scored its biggest launch to date on Prime Video in France since bowing on March 10. The show is one of the streamer’s first unscripted originals in France and has been a major coup as a brand exercise that’s succeeded with limited resources — certainly in comparison to scripted comedy. Adaptations of “Lol” have also thrived in Italy and Germany where they have ranked as the most watched local titles on the service, respectively. Local versions are also available in Spain, Canada, Mexico and Australia (hosted by Rebel Wilson).
On the heels of its milestone success with “Lol: Qui rit, qui sort,” the French teams at Amazon Studios are...
The Amazon Original series, adapted from the format “Lol: Last One Laughing,” scored its biggest launch to date on Prime Video in France since bowing on March 10. The show is one of the streamer’s first unscripted originals in France and has been a major coup as a brand exercise that’s succeeded with limited resources — certainly in comparison to scripted comedy. Adaptations of “Lol” have also thrived in Italy and Germany where they have ranked as the most watched local titles on the service, respectively. Local versions are also available in Spain, Canada, Mexico and Australia (hosted by Rebel Wilson).
On the heels of its milestone success with “Lol: Qui rit, qui sort,” the French teams at Amazon Studios are...
- 3/13/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
’Avatar: The Way Of Water’ is now the biggest film of all time in France.
France’s box office is bounding back steadily with a nearly 40% jump in February year-on-year ticket sales, driven by Disney’s Avatar: The Way Of Water, Pathe’s Asterix And Obelix: The Middle Kingdom and Studiocanal’s Alibi.com 2. But admissions are still below the pre-pandemic 2017-19 average according to figures released by the Cnc.
Even as James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way Of Water broke records and the local-language blockbusters started strong, February’s ticket sales of 18.2m remain 21.3% below the 2017-2019 average.
Guillaume Canet...
France’s box office is bounding back steadily with a nearly 40% jump in February year-on-year ticket sales, driven by Disney’s Avatar: The Way Of Water, Pathe’s Asterix And Obelix: The Middle Kingdom and Studiocanal’s Alibi.com 2. But admissions are still below the pre-pandemic 2017-19 average according to figures released by the Cnc.
Even as James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way Of Water broke records and the local-language blockbusters started strong, February’s ticket sales of 18.2m remain 21.3% below the 2017-2019 average.
Guillaume Canet...
- 3/2/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Newen Connect CEO Rodolphe Buet is happy to be back in person at the Berlinale’s European Film Market after the three-year Covid-19 hiatus.
“It’s fun to be in Berlin. When I started in the industry in 2005, my first market was Berlin with Studiocanal,” he says.
In the interim, Buet rose through the Studiocanal ranks to become president of distribution and marketing from 2015 to 2017, overseeing the rollout strategies for Paddington and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy among other major films.
He was appointed CEO of Paris-based Newen Connect in 2020, piloting its creation in the wake of TF1’s 100 acquisition of Newen Studios out of the merger of their distribution arms TF1 Studio, Newen Distribution and Reel One International.
He has spent the last three years steadily putting in place a structure in step with the convergence between the audiovisual and cinema worlds, appointing Leona Connell as Chief Commercial Officer...
“It’s fun to be in Berlin. When I started in the industry in 2005, my first market was Berlin with Studiocanal,” he says.
In the interim, Buet rose through the Studiocanal ranks to become president of distribution and marketing from 2015 to 2017, overseeing the rollout strategies for Paddington and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy among other major films.
He was appointed CEO of Paris-based Newen Connect in 2020, piloting its creation in the wake of TF1’s 100 acquisition of Newen Studios out of the merger of their distribution arms TF1 Studio, Newen Distribution and Reel One International.
He has spent the last three years steadily putting in place a structure in step with the convergence between the audiovisual and cinema worlds, appointing Leona Connell as Chief Commercial Officer...
- 2/17/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Chairman and CEO Maxime Saada stresses that film ‘defines’ Canal+.
French media powerhouse Canal+ has pledged to invest €1bn in cinema in the next five years and has showcased its high profile production slate for 2023.
“2023 will be the best year for cinema in Canal+ history,” Canal+ chairman and CEO Maxime Saada declared at a press event in Paris on Wednesday, which focused on the group’s investment in the country’s seventh art.
Saada’s pledge to spend €1bn spend is in line with the group’s previously announced plans to invest €200m per year in film, and includes €20-...
French media powerhouse Canal+ has pledged to invest €1bn in cinema in the next five years and has showcased its high profile production slate for 2023.
“2023 will be the best year for cinema in Canal+ history,” Canal+ chairman and CEO Maxime Saada declared at a press event in Paris on Wednesday, which focused on the group’s investment in the country’s seventh art.
Saada’s pledge to spend €1bn spend is in line with the group’s previously announced plans to invest €200m per year in film, and includes €20-...
- 2/16/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
Chairman and CEO Maxime Saada stresses that film ‘defines’ Canal+.
French media powerhouse Canal+ has pledged to invest €1 billion in cinema in the next five years and has showcased its high profile production slate for 2023.
“2023 will be the best year for cinema in Canal+ history,” Canal+ chairman and CEO Maxime Saada declared at a press event in Paris on Wednesday, which focused on the group’s investment in the country’s seventh art.
Saada’s pledge to spend €1 billion spend is in line with the group’s previously announced plans to invest €200m per year in film, and includes €20-...
French media powerhouse Canal+ has pledged to invest €1 billion in cinema in the next five years and has showcased its high profile production slate for 2023.
“2023 will be the best year for cinema in Canal+ history,” Canal+ chairman and CEO Maxime Saada declared at a press event in Paris on Wednesday, which focused on the group’s investment in the country’s seventh art.
Saada’s pledge to spend €1 billion spend is in line with the group’s previously announced plans to invest €200m per year in film, and includes €20-...
- 2/16/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
French pay-tv giant Canal+ went on the offensive at a special event in Paris on Wednesday, promoting its historic role as the biggest supporter of local and international cinema in France and laying out its past track record and future plans.
The roadshow-style conference was part of an operation laying the ground for the launch of a new high-end, cinema-focused channel Canal+ Box Office which was teased at the end of the event.
“2023 will be the most beautiful year for cinema in the history of Canal+. We’ve never held an event like this before devoted only to cinema, but we felt the need to talk about this,” declared Canal+ Group Chairman and CEO Maxime Saada.
The exec said the banner year was due to three factors, topped by the agreement it signed with the French cinema guilds in early 2022, pledging to invest at least €200M (213M) annually in cinema over five years.
The roadshow-style conference was part of an operation laying the ground for the launch of a new high-end, cinema-focused channel Canal+ Box Office which was teased at the end of the event.
“2023 will be the most beautiful year for cinema in the history of Canal+. We’ve never held an event like this before devoted only to cinema, but we felt the need to talk about this,” declared Canal+ Group Chairman and CEO Maxime Saada.
The exec said the banner year was due to three factors, topped by the agreement it signed with the French cinema guilds in early 2022, pledging to invest at least €200M (213M) annually in cinema over five years.
- 2/15/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Film and TV distribution division Newen Connect has announced the promotion of Alice Damiani to SVP International Film Sales on the eve of the Berlinale’s European Film Market.
Damiani takes over from Sabine Chemaly, who has been head of film sales at TF1 Studio, and then Newen Connect, since 2012.
Newen Connect was created in 2020 in the wake of TF1’s acquisition of French production giant Newen Studios, out of the fusion of their distribution divisions Newen Distribution, TF1 Studio and Reel One International.
Damiani’s promotion is part of an ongoing restructuring and expansion of the resulting division by CEO Rodolphe Buet, which also saw Leona Connell being upped to Chief Commercial Officer last September, in a role giving her oversight of international and French markets for both film and TV.
In her new role, Damiani will take on responsibility for identifying and championing new cinema projects from...
Damiani takes over from Sabine Chemaly, who has been head of film sales at TF1 Studio, and then Newen Connect, since 2012.
Newen Connect was created in 2020 in the wake of TF1’s acquisition of French production giant Newen Studios, out of the fusion of their distribution divisions Newen Distribution, TF1 Studio and Reel One International.
Damiani’s promotion is part of an ongoing restructuring and expansion of the resulting division by CEO Rodolphe Buet, which also saw Leona Connell being upped to Chief Commercial Officer last September, in a role giving her oversight of international and French markets for both film and TV.
In her new role, Damiani will take on responsibility for identifying and championing new cinema projects from...
- 2/15/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Woody Allen’s ’Wasp 2022,’ ’Murder Mystery 2’ and Apple TV+’s Benjamin Franklin biopic among the prestige projects to shoot.
Paris enjoyed record levels of production in 2022, with 102 features and 68 series filmed in the city throughout the year.
The French capital saw 7,500 shooting days, up from 2021’s then-record 7,000 shooting days. In 2019, before the pandemic, Paris registered 5,000 days of shooting.
Feature film production dipped slightly from 110 films in 2021, but series were up from 64 the previous year.
Among the major international titles filming in Paris were Woody Allen’s Coup De Chance, rumoured to be the prolific director’s 50th and last film.
Paris enjoyed record levels of production in 2022, with 102 features and 68 series filmed in the city throughout the year.
The French capital saw 7,500 shooting days, up from 2021’s then-record 7,000 shooting days. In 2019, before the pandemic, Paris registered 5,000 days of shooting.
Feature film production dipped slightly from 110 films in 2021, but series were up from 64 the previous year.
Among the major international titles filming in Paris were Woody Allen’s Coup De Chance, rumoured to be the prolific director’s 50th and last film.
- 2/10/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ and French-Senegalese war drama ‘Father & Soldier’ provided a boost to French cinemas.
The French box office saw ticket sales hit 15.05 million admissions in January, a 41.3 jump up from the same month in 2022, but still 15.1 down from the 2017-2019 pre-pandemic average, according to figures from state film organisation the Cnc.
James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way Of Water (Disney) led the month and the film has sold 12.7 million tickets to date since its December 14 release in the territory. It is now the 18th most successful film in French box office history, but a far cry...
The French box office saw ticket sales hit 15.05 million admissions in January, a 41.3 jump up from the same month in 2022, but still 15.1 down from the 2017-2019 pre-pandemic average, according to figures from state film organisation the Cnc.
James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way Of Water (Disney) led the month and the film has sold 12.7 million tickets to date since its December 14 release in the territory. It is now the 18th most successful film in French box office history, but a far cry...
- 2/3/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ and French-Senegalese war drama ‘Father & Soldier’ provided a boost to French cinemas.
The French box office saw ticket sales hit 15.05 million admissions in January, a 41.3 jump up from the same month in 2022, but still 15.1 down from the 2017-2019 pre-pandemic average, according to figures from state film organisation the Cnc.
James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way Of Water (Disney) led the month and the film has sold 12.7 million tickets to date since its December 14 release in the territory. It is now the 18th most successful film in French box office history, but a far cry...
The French box office saw ticket sales hit 15.05 million admissions in January, a 41.3 jump up from the same month in 2022, but still 15.1 down from the 2017-2019 pre-pandemic average, according to figures from state film organisation the Cnc.
James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way Of Water (Disney) led the month and the film has sold 12.7 million tickets to date since its December 14 release in the territory. It is now the 18th most successful film in French box office history, but a far cry...
- 2/3/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
Denis Imbert’s hiking drama has sold to Canada, Spain and Germany.
TF1 Studios-owned Newen Connect has unveiled new sales on Denis Imbert’s hiking drama On the Wandering Paths and Philippe Lacheau’s wacky wedding comedy Alibi.com 2.
On The Wandering Paths stars Jean Dujardin as a celebrated writer who decides to hike alone across France after falling from a building and waking up from a coma.
Following market screenings at Unifrance’s January Rendez-Vous in Paris, Newen has sold the film to Tva in Canada, Vercine in Spain and X Verleih in Germany and Austria, New Cinema in Israel,...
TF1 Studios-owned Newen Connect has unveiled new sales on Denis Imbert’s hiking drama On the Wandering Paths and Philippe Lacheau’s wacky wedding comedy Alibi.com 2.
On The Wandering Paths stars Jean Dujardin as a celebrated writer who decides to hike alone across France after falling from a building and waking up from a coma.
Following market screenings at Unifrance’s January Rendez-Vous in Paris, Newen has sold the film to Tva in Canada, Vercine in Spain and X Verleih in Germany and Austria, New Cinema in Israel,...
- 1/24/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
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