French Culture Minister Unveils Major Funding Plan for Film Restoration at Lumiere Festival

As I stood amidst the enchanting glow of the Lumiere Festival in Lyon, witnessing Rachida Dati, the esteemed French Culture Minister, unveil such profound plans for the future of cinema, I couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of admiration and gratitude towards this exceptional woman. Her dedication to preserving and promoting France’s rich cinematic heritage is truly inspiring.


During my trip to the vibrant Lumiere Festival in Lyon, I was thrilled to witness France’s Culture Minister, Rachida Dati, announce an impressive boost in the budget dedicated to preserving and digitizing French cinematic classics. Additionally, she pledged additional resources for our cherished ‘cinematheques,’ enriching our film centers even further.

The Lumiere Festival, which honors traditional filmmaking, is arranged annually by Thierry Frémaux, the head of Cannes and director of the Institut Lumière, a historical institution focused on safeguarding legacy cinematography.

At a recent press conference during a film festival, she announced plans to enhance cinema support, focusing particularly on the resurgence of French films. However, this revival isn’t uniform across all regions. There seems to be an imbalance, which will be addressed in the upcoming distribution of support to cinemas. To address this, an extra €3 million ($3.3 million) will be allocated annually, starting from 2025.

Dati also announced increased funding for cinematheques across France.

I’ve requested the CNC (French National Film Board) to increase its financial aid for these facilities, by providing a designated budget, enabling them to persist in serving their local communities.

In the first instance, I’m thrilled to share that the annual operating support will escalate from €900,000 ($990,000) to a significant €1.5 million ($1.65 million), marking an impressive 67% boost. Moreover, a unique one-off grant of €1.4 million ($1.54 million) is earmarked for 2025, dedicated towards funding pertinent investment projects. To further enhance the cinematic experience, my vision is to make it more accessible by bolstering mediation and initiatives like open-air screenings.

In my movie-loving enthusiasm, I’m excited to share that as part of our ongoing commitment to strengthen France’s cinematic heritage, Dati has proposed two significant projects. The Cinémathèque de Toulouse will receive a €2 million ($2.2 million) investment from the CNC, working hand-in-hand with local authorities. Meanwhile, the Marseille branch of the Cinémathèque Française is set to become an integral part of a massive new campus dedicated to digital learning and cultural propagation, which is currently being built in the 15th arrondissement.

Dati also revealed plans to nearly double the budget for digitizing France’s classic films.

Dati stated that the CNC is dedicated to the digital transformation and renewal of films originally captured on film. A total of €75 million ($82.5 million) has been pledged for digitizing approximately 1,400 movies. At both the festival and the Lumière Institute, numerous pieces restored within this project are screened,” explains Dati.

Additionally, I’m pondering on two cinematic masterpieces – Costa Gavras’ “Z” and Abel Gance’s “Napoleon.” The latter is currently captivating audiences in theaters throughout France, with over 30,000 viewers already. This momentum will undoubtedly grow. By 2025, the allocated budget of the CNC will experience a significant boost, increasing by 40% from its current €2.6 million ($2.9 million) to €3.6 million ($4 million).

While attending the Lumiere Festival, Dati not only enjoyed the festivities but also officially opened the latest installations of CinéFabrique, a free film and television academy. This educational institution is supported by local government as part of France’s Grande Fabrique de l’Image – an initiative aimed at bolstering film and audiovisual production through the development of specialized training centers, production facilities, and innovation hubs for the creative industries.

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2024-10-19 17:47