On Monday, 28 May 2013, in Cannes, Minister of Culture of the Republic of Croatia Andrea Zlatar Violić, and Minister of Culture of the French Republic Aurélie Filippetti signed the Co-production Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Government of the French Republic. Éric Garandeau, head of the French National Centre of Cinema and the Moving Image, and Hrvoje Hribar, head of the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, attended the signing.
By signing this Agreement the two countries confirm their mutual will to restore and establish film connections between the Republic of Croatia and the French Republic, as well as their wish to valorise their common cinematic heritage. The Croatian Audiovisual Centre (HAVC) on the Croatian side and the National Centre of Cinema and the Moving Image (Centre national du cinema et de l’image animée, CNC) on the French side will be in charge of the implementation of future collaborations, defined by the Agreement.
The use of privileges arising from this Agreement will enable Croatian producers and filmmakers financial grants from foreign and French funds, film screenings in French cinemas, participation at French and international film festivals and greater presence on the international film market. Also, it will create basis for collaboration between Croatian and French filmmakers and producers on joint film projects.
Aside from confirming the development of bilateral cultural relations between Croatia and France, this recently signed Agreement on film production is a result of HAVC’s dedicated work, highlighting the achievement of one of its goals – continuous international collaboration. The Agreement provides a basis for collaboration between Croatian and French filmmakers and producers, either in terms of receiving financial grants from foreign and French funds, either in terms of presenting film in French cinemas or participating at French and international film festivals. Given the dynamic nature of the audiovisual scene, signing this Agreement is important for exchange in the field of training, education, preservation of cinematic heritage, film promotion and mutual distribution, and undoubtedly presents a powerful motivation not only in the cultural domain, but in economy in general. Finally, the Agreement on Co-production is a confirmation of the acknowledgment of the mutual strategic aims Croatia and France share in the preservation of cultural diversity and particularities of each respective culture and language.
Besides, France is a country with most developed cultural policy, currently mostly dealing with the balance between culture as art and market challenges. Croatia should take the French road because, aside from its four million citizens, it has prospective 20 million viewers in the region. The good news is that The Priest’s Children were sold in six or seven European countries, where the film will be widely distributed. This is one of the examples of a film leaving the confines of arthouse distribution, where they mostly remain known only to professionals. Today we recognise countries by their cinemas, therefore we need to make Croatian cinema a brand, said Minister of Culture of the Republic of Croatia, Andrea Zlatar Violić.
Head of the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, Hrvoje Hribar, also commented on the signing of the Agreement: The Agreement confirms strategic partnership between two countries sharing fundamental values and advocates the preservation of their languages and cultural identities. It is signed by two countries with a similar vision of cinema as multi-faceted cultural production that plays an important economic role in both societies. Since one of the signatories is large and the other is significantly smaller, this Agreement to our film and cinema primarily signals an official entrance to the largest European film market. It is important to stress out that this market is not an easy one to enter.
The collaboration between France and Croatia was technically possible even before the signing of this Agreement, moreover, it was growing. Last year in Croatia the French film Eyjafjallojökull by Alexandre Coffre was filmed, and this year Ognjen Sviličić’s Quiet People were granted funds from CNC. Last autumn as a part of "Croatie, la voici" cultural programme around twenty different Croatian film programmes were presented in cinemas across France. The Agreement closes one period and begins a new one.
What makes a difference is that this kind of collaboration becomes the objective of both national cinemas. It is upon our producers, authors and film professionals to use this institutional framework in the best possible manner. French cinemas and festivals, as well as its production capital – either in terms of co-productions or export of our film services – have today become significantly more accessible, stated Hrvoje Hribar.
