The filmmakers suggest that "the European Commission has to adapt some of its directives, whether it is to address specifically audiovisual media or their tax system. The Commission needs to set itself two goals: to spur on the development of the European players who finance and editorialise European cinema; and to encompass the global internet giants within creation’s tax system and economy."
The filmmakers also addressed different means of distribution:
"With the movie theatres: efforts have to be maintained to mitigate the theatrical deserts that still exist in a number of places. We must make it our best effort so that no existing theatre has to shut down, while new ones can be implemented. Independent theatres should not be forgotten in terms of digital equipment. We need to pay particular attention to how we can accelerate and facilitate theatrical distribution on the scale of Europe: movie theatres remain the best place to meet for films and their audience.
With TV broadcasters: we ask that public broadcasters work on a charter for a better spreading of European films between them throughout Europe, with a focus on exchanges, but also mutual and reciprocal programming. They should also be aided in the development of their digital versions. We hope for an independent European digital film platform, and TV broadcasters could very well be at the core of such an initiative.
With VoD platforms: we need to rethink our regulation so that it is apt and up to date. It should make possible the rise of a European player, capable of competing with global ones. The internet has long been the subject of our worries, particularly since it helped piracy to develop to previously unknown levels. We want to believe it can today become the best partner of European cinema. It can be part of the virtuous circle that comes from sharing wealth and value between all those who contribute to the financing of creation, as they become exceptional means of exhibitions for our films".
The call, launched during the 5th edition of the Appointment with New French Cinema in Rome last week, was firstly signed by: Lucas Belvaux, Emanuele Crialese, Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne, Dante Desarthe, Matteo Garrone, Costa Gavras, Amos Gitaï, Michel Hazanavicius, Kamen Kalev, Paul Laverty, Mike Leigh, Ken Loach, Daniele Luchetti, Ursula Meier, Cristian Mungiu, Rebecca O’Brien, Jean-Paul Salomé, Volker Schlöndorff, Maurizio Sciarra, Abderrahmane Sissako, Paolo Sorrentino, Béla Tarr, Joachim Trier, Fernando Trueba and Wim Wenders.
