The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture strengthened international relations during the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, most notably with the French Republic. Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), Mr Nathi Mthethwa signed the amended Audio-Visual Co-production Treaty between South Africa and France.
The initial treaty signed in 2010, provided only for feature-length films with a first window of release in the cinema. The amended treaty accommodates features, short films and serialised content for all platforms, including television and digital.
The new film treaty between South Africa and France is an initiative based on common objectives:
- to broaden and stimulate co-production between our two countries;
- to support the production of quality content that responds to new consumer habits and is representative of cultural diversity;
- to foster investments in South Africa and in France.
The entertainment world has changed significantly with the introduction of other exhibition platforms, requiring it to remain nimble and modern. The objective of the agreement is to develop and facilitate co-production projects likely to benefit the cinematographic industries of both countries and the development of their cultural and economic exchanges.
The NFVF funded seven (7) filmmakers to attend the 2022 Cannes Film Festival to seek multiple opportunities to pitch projects to potential buyers, distributors, and funders.
The South African film industry has consistently participated in major film festivals around the world since 2000 and has had an official presence at the Cannes film festival since 1997. The regular, consistent and coordinated participation at these events has raised the profile of South African film and television content and, by implication, the industry as a whole.
