📉 Canal+ Slashes Film Pre-Buys, But Still Tops French Cinema Funding

This is your French update, live from Substack.

Tuesday January 13th • HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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FROM THE FRENCH MARKET 🤝

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LE PETIT UPDATE 🗞️

• Cartoon Movie 2026: The selection committee selected 50 projects for the upcoming edition, with French animation studios leading the lineup with 15 titles.

• The cinema ticket platform Ozzak expands its Belgian pilot with new partners to broaden its discount offering.

• Paramount Skydance takes Warner Bros to court to force the disclosure of shareholder information, arguing its bid is superior to Netflix’s.

• A new presidency begins for the European Council, with Cyprus set to lead discussions on key media and cultural policies for the next six months.

• Prime Video bets on bigger, bolder content strategies and major sports investments for the coming year to capture a larger market share.

• The visual effects and production company Archipel Productions wins the Trophée César & Techniques 2026 for its technical achievements.

• Director Paul Thomas Anderson bags Best Director at the 2026 Golden Globes for his latest film, One Battle After Another.

• The consolidated pay-TV channel Cine+ OCS scales back its support for certain types of independent film acquisitions.

• Disney+ makes first-window films the cornerstone of its new pre-buy strategy to drive subscriber engagement.

• The Belgian Tax Shelter mechanism raised €149m in funding, confirming its vital role in financing audiovisual productions.

• The European media giant Media Participations takes a 25% stake in the independent animation studio Miyu Productions.

• Five key moments are set to shape Europe’s film and media landscape in the coming year, from regulatory shifts to major festivals.

• Distributor Metropolitan sets the French release for the anticipated film The Drama for April 8, 2026.

• The cinema chain Kinepolis launches a nationwide retrospective dedicated to French comedy icon Louis de Funès.

• A new report analyzes how European cinema performs in France and the UK, highlighting distribution challenges in these key markets.

• The exhibitor association Cinema United reiterates fears over the potential market impact of the ongoing consolidation between major studios and streamers.

• In a bid to appeal to mobile users, Disney plans to introduce vertical video formats to its streaming app.

• European public broadcasting comes under pressure as governments across the continent scrutinize funding models and mandates.

• The streaming service HBO Max renews The Pitt for a third season following its successful run.

• A parliamentary inquiry is launched into the structure and future funding of France’s public broadcasting sector.

• The French animation industry comes under pressure as export numbers decline and sales to US buyers slow down.

• With continued massive investment, Saudi Arabia emerges as an unavoidable partner for the global film industry and co-productions.