Screen Ireland welcomes the historic signing of a Cinematic Co-Production Agreement between France and Ireland
Posted: 13th December 2022
Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland is delighted to welcome the historic signing of the Agreement between the Government of Ireland and the Government of the French Republic on Cinematographic Co-Production. The co-production agreement, which will enable and encourage increased collaboration and production between both countries, was signed yesterday in Paris by the Ambassador of Ireland to France, Niall Burgess and the French Minister of Culture, Rima Abdul Malak.
Susan Bergin, Chair of the Board of Screen Ireland, welcomed the news.
“On behalf of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, I am delighted to welcome the signing of the Agreement between the Government of Ireland and the Government of the French Republic on Cinematographic Co-Production today. We would like to thank Minister Catherine Martin for her support on ensuring Irish/French partnerships in film continue to grow. This Treaty is a fantastic opportunity for Ireland to build closer working relationships with French producers and production companies, and to tell cultural stories across both nations, recognising our countries’ shared values and distinct offerings as cinematic storytellers. As a result of this new agreement, we’re looking forward to creating more feature films for the big screen together, as we continue to champion European co-production for decades to come.”
At the signing event, both the Ambassador and French Minister of Culture spoke about the shared passion for cinema in both countries and the importance of supporting cultural diversity and European unity.
Building on already strong and existing relationships in animation between France and Ireland, which has resulted in Academy Award-nominated animated films like Wolfwalkers and The Breadwinner, this treaty will enable Ireland to develop a closer working relationship with French producers and production companies. If a project is certified as an official co-production, it confers national status of all the co-production territories to that project and is effectively regarded as a national production in each of the co-producing territories. The production is then eligible to benefit from local territory benefits in the co-producing country such as broadcast licence fees, access to tax incentives, regional subsidies and the local distribution market. It was also announced yesterday that a Franco-Irish industry workshop would take place at the Cannes Festival in May 2023 to encourage and facilitate co-production projects between both France and Ireland.
This combination of pooled financing, talent and skilled crew makes the partnership beneficial for both countries – joining the long and illustrious history of French cinema together with Ireland’s establishment as a global production hub in recent years.
Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin T.D. said:
“The signing of this Co-Production Agreement will lead to benefits for the industry in Ireland and will incentivise work between our two film industries. The bilateral basis of the Agreement allows for cultural stories to be told across both territories, recognising our shared values and opening up access to a wider talent pool based in both France and Ireland. There is great potential now to deepen the cultural conversation between Ireland and France further and create further employment opportunities”.
Ambassador of Ireland to France, Niall Burgess, said:
“Today’s historic signing ceremony of the co-production agreement in Paris will facilitate cultural and creative exchange between France and Ireland. We look forward to fostering and deepening relations with our colleagues in France as a result of the signing of this co-production agreement.”
The Agreement will be the second such Agreement between Ireland and an EU Member State, after a Co-Production Agreement with Luxembourg was established in 2011.
Yesterday’s signing ceremony was also attended by representatives from Screen Ireland, along with Irish film industry stakeholders.