Desperately Seeking Approval

Citi puts a little money into French films. As if the making of films was some sort of national project of that person-nation-thing that they think they imagine, many tend to believe this to be affirmation of something “superior” about the French [fill in the blank] industry, no matter how small the potatoes really are, and in a real economy €150 million amounts to 3 or 4 film productions.

THE DEVIL IN THE DETAILS

The 150 million euros announced for France remain modest compared with similar investments to the USA – as the size of the European market and the stock market crisis obliges. "Only high-quality projects to be funded," said Yann Le Quellec. But that’s okay, we are here to stay." The company intends to popularize a way of financing which has the advantage of relieving the producer of the painstaking work of seeking funding. It could reduce some adverse effects associated with the French production system, as the increasing financial partners who, on big films, deprives many of their revenue.

Maybe their mothers never told them that it was only a movie.

My word! How DARE they also invest in the US! With the usual inability to understand the notion free will on the part of an investor. More to the point if that investment is so meager, and the French film production system, complete with subsidies and boards demands that producers break even, why is the free market film production methodology so thoroughly demonized in Europe when the subject comes up?