Jornal da Mostra
André de Margerie,
François Sauvagnargues and Leon Cakoff
François Sauvagnargues and Leon Cakoff
Nº 389 > 29ª Mostra > 02/11/2005
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Directors of ARTE point out the opportunities of co-productions with Brazil
Guests of the 29th São Paulo International Film Festival, the directors of the French-German network ARTE (the pronunciation is “ARTÊ”), the French François Sauvagnargues and André de Margerie, participated of two meetings at Clube da Mostra (Conjunto Nacional – Cine Bombril Hall, 2073, Paulista Avenue), Sunday (30) and Monday (31). During the conversation, with the participations of Vera Tude, from TV Cultura; Sandra Cacetari, from STV; Marco Altberg, from the Brazilian Association of Independent Producers, Bete Carmona, from TVE, Mário Borgneth, from the Department of Culture, and also producers and directors, both directors of ARTE pointed out the opportunities of co-productions between Brazil and France through the network, which has a distinct profile, with emphasis in documentaries and fiction films of more elevated profile.Sauvagnargues, who is director of ARTE’s fiction department (telefilms), pointed out that since the beginning, the network philosophy is to absorb the best of the world’s production. “Without talent there isn’t TV”, he declared. Then, he mentioned some areas where he sees more possibilities of cooperation between the two countries, on the documentaries matter. The ARTE has two weekly schedule reserved to the format and solves this need, co-producing new projects and buying films. Among the most appreciated themes are nature and adventure.
The director pondered that the selection carried out by the network is very big. Mentioning his own department, he informed that receives around 500 screenplays a year, from which only 25 are effectively made by them. Another department from ARTE, the cinema department, buys around 60 films a year. But, most of them are Europeans. According to Sauvagnargues, from Latin America, the network buys one or two films a year.
As for co-productions, the network participates of approximately 20 films a year. The budget’s limit for co-productions, according to Sauvagnargues, stays around 1 and 2 million euros for fiction films and 3 and 4 million euros for documentaries.
André de Margerie, director of the international department of ARTE, mentioned an unprecedented experience of the network, that became shareholder of a Canadian network, the ARTETV, which also has a distinct profile as for its programming, but, unlike the French-German network, it has an advertisement revenue.
Sauvagnargues, pointed out the success of ARTE in attracting talents of the cinema for the network productions. A recent case was Philippe Garrell, director of “Les Amants Reguliers”. It’s a black & white film, of three hours length, which was first exhibited at ARTE, then in the French theaters. The network director said that ARTE has produced around 70 films in this system (first exhibited on TV, then in the theaters) and that this kind of situation is well absorbed by the French public. Among these productions, is Marius et Jeannette (21st Film Festival), directed by Robert Guédiguian, and seen by 1,5 million viewers in France.
The public has the opportunity to see some of the films co-produced by ARTE at the 29th Film Festival. In the programming are: L’Enfant, Palme D’Or in Cannes 2005, À La Recherche d’Orfeu Negro, Attente, Coup d’état contre Hugo Chávez, Nus, La Maison des Saoud, Martha Argerich, Conversation Nocturne , La Rue des Figuiers, Vénus et Apollon: Printemps Doux nº 19, Vénus et Apollon: Printemps Doux nº 20,Lula: la gestion de l’espoir, Le Rossignol, Le Rêve de São Paulo, Le Promeneur du Champ de Mars and Le Grand Voyage.
The financing from ARTE comes from a yearly tax of 110 euros paid by the network viewers. The network’s total budget reaches the amount of 350 million euros, from which 260 millions are dedicated to productions.
