London, UK – The United Kingdom and France have significantly strengthened their cultural and economic ties in the screen industries with the signing of a comprehensive new co-operation agreement between their leading national film bodies. The British Film Institute (BFI) and France’s Centre National du Cinéma et de l’Image Animée (CNC) formalized an ambitious Moving Image Co-operation Agreement on July 9, 2025, during a ceremony held at BFI Southbank in London.
A Strategic Alliance for Moving Image Industries
The agreement was officially signed by BFI Chief Executive Ben Roberts and CNC President Gaëtan Bruel. The ceremony took place in the presence of high-level government officials, including French Culture Minister Rachida Dati and the UK’s Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism, Chris Bryant. This notable attendance underscores the strategic importance both nations place on bolstering their screen sectors.
The core objective of the agreement is to deepen collaboration and provide enhanced support for the film, audiovisual, and moving image industries, as well as foster cultural exchange and audience development in both the UK and France.
Six Pillars of Collaboration
The strategic co-operation is structured around six key areas, designed to address both immediate priorities and long-term challenges facing the global screen landscape:
1. Public Policies and Support Measures: Sharing best practices and collaborating on national support schemes for the film, audiovisual, and wider moving image sector. This includes crucial areas such as fostering independent production, improving distribution and promotion strategies, supporting exhibition venues, navigating the impact of Artificial intelligence (AI), promoting environmental sustainability, addressing intellectual property rights, and advancing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives.
2. Education: Developing joint initiatives focused on film and moving image education, with a particular emphasis on engaging young audiences and fostering media literacy from an early age.
3. Heritage Preservation: Collaborating on the preservation, restoration, and accessibility of film and moving image heritage, ensuring the rich cinematic histories of both nations are protected and shared.
4. Business Relationships and Co-production: Facilitating closer ties between industry professionals and companies in both countries, with a strong focus on encouraging and streamlining bilateral co-production projects. Co-productions are vital for pooling resources, accessing diverse talent, and reaching wider international markets.
5. Mutual Knowledge Sharing: Implementing an employee exchange program between the BFI and CNC staff to share expertise, best practices, and insights into policy development, operational management, and industry trends.
6. Audience Development: Working together to build and diversify audiences for UK and French cinema and audiovisual content. This includes supporting cinemas, festivals, and online platforms that champion diverse films and attract new viewers.
This agreement represents a significant step forward, building upon an already existing foundation of collaboration and ongoing dialogue between the BFI and the CNC.
Boosting Investment and Production
Adding to the momentum, the British Film Commission and Film France CNC also signed a separate Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the same day at BFI Southbank. This distinct agreement is specifically aimed at enhancing collaboration to incentivize inward investment for film and high-end television production across both territories.
Inward investment plays a crucial role in the UK’s screen sector, reaching a substantial £4.7 billion in 2024 for film and high-end TV production. The MoU seeks to leverage the strengths of both countries to attract more international projects, creating jobs and economic growth.
Recent high-profile projects that have utilized facilities, locations, or post-production expertise in both the UK and France highlight the existing synergy and potential for increased collaboration. These include the feature film The Amateur, the comedy Head Of State, the fantasy adventure Damsel (a Netflix production), and the second season of the epic fantasy series The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power (a Prime Video production).
Both the BFI-CNC Co-operation Agreement and the British Film Commission-Film France CNC MoU signal a shared commitment at governmental and institutional levels to support and grow the vibrant screen industries of the United Kingdom and France, ensuring their continued contribution to culture, economy, and global storytelling in the years ahead.
