By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora/Philippine News Agency
MANILA — A co-production deal that would fund Filipino and French filmmakers is possible once the Philippines has ratified the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, the French Embassy in Manila said Thursday.
Martin Macalintal, audiovisual attaché of the French Embassy in Manila, said the ratification of the declaration is a condition for the signing of a co-production agreement between the Philippines and France.
“Once such co-production agreement is signed, French-Philippine co-productions can benefit from funding from the French CNC (Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée),” he told the Philippine News Agency.
The French CNC is an agency with legal and financial autonomy under the French Culture Ministry. Its main function is to ensure the implementation of France’s state policy in the film sector and other industries relating to the moving image.
While the crafting of a co-production agreement between the two states is not yet in the pipeline, Paris continues to engage Manila on audiovisual cooperation.
Experts from the French CNC and the Annecy International Animation Festival and Market have, in fact, already shared their knowledge and best practices with Filipino professionals in the field.
“The French Embassy flew in an expert to demonstrate how French box office taxes, revenue taxes of TV networks, are collected by the CNC to provide grants for film production and support the entire film industry,” Macalintal told PNA.
“The expert had an audience with the legal officers of senators and congressmen during the Film Development Council of the Philippines national film conference last year,” he added.
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