France

Please review the full text of the Coproduction Agreement and definitions.

WORK – Article 1

Work of any duration, fiction, animation or documentary consisting of an animated sequence of images, with or without sound, intended for initial release, either in a theatre, on a television service or an on-demand audiovisual media service.

“On-demand audiovisual media service” means any electronic public communication service for the viewing of programs, at the moment chosen by the user and at his or her request, from a catalogue of programs selected and organized under the supervision of the provider of this service;

MINIMUM FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION – Article 5

For television and on-demand audiovisual media service works:

• 20% of the total production budget.

For cinematographic works, the minimum financial contribution may be reduced to:

• 15% of the total production budget.
• 10% of the total production budget for French-language cinematographic works, with the mutual consent of the administrative authorities.

In the case of a work coproduced with a third State, the minimum contribution by the producers other than the French and Canadian producers shall not be lower than 10% of the total production budget.

PARTICIPANTS – Article 6 (see also Articles 1, 4 and 7)

In addition to producers (1), each participant must be a national (2) of one of the coproducing States.

However, through the mutual written consent of their respective administrative authorities, exemptions which derogate from paragraph 1 may be granted, notably to allow nationals from a non-party State to participate in a work for storyline, creative, or production purposes. With respect to key positions (3), such an exception, may apply to only one of the positions listed in Article 7 of this Agreement.

→ SEE ALSO:

1.  Article 4 for eligibility conditions pertaining to Producers;
2. Article 1 for a definition of Canadian, French and eligible European participants;
3.  Article 7 for a list of Key positions per type of work.

PROPORTIONALITY – Article 9

The share of Canadian elements in a work is in reasonable proportion to the Canadian financial participation. The share of French elements in a work is in reasonable proportion to the French financial participation.
Through the mutual written consent of the administrative authorities, derogations may be granted as regards the expenditures related to storyline and creative purposes.

LOCATION AND TECHNICAL SERVICES – Article 10

Shooting (or, for animation works, production) as well as all the technical services linked to the production of the work are undertaken in the territory of the coproducing States.

Through the mutual written consent of the administrative authorities:

• a work may be permitted to be filmed or produced in the territory of a non-party State for storyline or creative purposes;
• technical services may be carried out in the territory of one or more non-party States provided that the producers demonstrate the non-availability of those services in any of the coproducing States, and provided that the value of such services does not exceed 25% of the total production budget of the work.

DUBBING – Article 11

All dubbing services of a work, in English and French, shall be performed in the coproducing States.

DISTRIBUTION OF RIGHTS AND REVENUES – Article 14

The distribution of rights on the work and revenues are reasonably proportional to the financial contribution of their respective producers.

DISTRIBUTION AND BROADCAST – Article 15

For television and on-demand audiovisual media service works: a distribution or broadcasting commitment, in the territory of each coproducing State.
For cinematographic works: a distribution or broadcasting commitment for the work in its country.
Through the mutual written consent of the administrative authorities, an alternative distribution or broadcasting commitment in lieu of the commitment described above may be accepted.

SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO A WORK – Article 16

Producers promptly advise their administrative authority of any material change to a work that may affect its qualification for benefits from the application of this Agreement.