CNC chief underscores role of education in preserving cinema culture

As the film industry experiences profound technological and consumption shifts, France is committed to deepening cultural exchange and collaboration with key global film partners and Korea is at the top of the list.

"France boasts a 130-year history in cinema," Gaetan Bruel, president of the French National Centre for Cinema (CNC), said during a press conference at the French Embassy in Seoul, Friday.

The chief of the state-run institution noted how the industry is experiencing changes, such as rapidly evolving artificial intelligence (AI) technology and the shift from traditional movie theater experiences to individual consumption on mobile devices.

"France excels in defensive IP (intellectual property) protection, while Korea shows strengths in development of new IP," Bruel said. "By sharing our successful models, there's much to discuss regarding IP development and co-ownership, maximizing our synergies."

Bruel visited Korea to attend the ongoing Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN), which runs through July 13.

He said there is a shared need for Korea and France to advocate for cultural sovereignty in a global landscape increasingly dominated by American content, emphasizing the importance of continued dialogue between the two nations on the evolving landscape of film and cultural industries.

Established in 1946, CNC stands as a globally recognized model of support for the film and visual arts industry, fostering creators while also regulating the market for fair and balanced development.

According to Bruel, CNC performs a combined function similar to that of the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) and the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA). It provides integrated support spanning production, distribution and international export — a model he believes has solidified France's position as a powerhouse in film, animation and video games.

He highlighted France’s resilience in the film industry as it only experienced around a 12 percent drop in audience number, to around 180 million, last year compared to prepandemic figures, while Korea experienced an approximately 40 percent drop last year compared to 2019.

Bruel attributed this strong resilience to a sustained demand for art house cinema, a demand bolstered by CNC's comprehensive support for the film ecosystem.

"While multiplexes were hit hard by the pandemic, art house cinemas have thrived. This model, which introduces and promotes diverse films, has been incredibly successful for France,” Bruel said, adding that France remains optimistic about cinema's future, aiming to reach 200 million annual admissions.

In discussing ways to keep the culture of watching movies in theaters alive, Bruel shared one key strategy — film education in schools.

“France is conducting film education, letting children experience movies at theaters,” he said, emphasizing the importance of fostering a love for the theatrical movie experience from a young age. “We want to encourage children to access a broader world through films, unlike the often misleading and addictive nature of current social media content.”

Addressing the rise of streaming platforms, Bruel highlighted European regulations that mandate platforms like Netflix to reinvest a portion of their earnings into local content production.

"France has mandated platform operators to produce original animated content for the past three years," he noted, citing this as a key policy to ensure quality and economic viability.

Regarding the growing use of AI in content creation, Bruel offered a balanced perspective.

"AI is a huge technological leap, but it's not the first or the last challenge cinema will face," he said.

While acknowledging its creative potential, he warned against its misuse.

"The real question is whether AI genuinely leads to good work. If it helps artistic creation, that's great. But if it's just used to cut costs or reduce quality, which threatens economic models as we see in animation, then we need to be very careful," the president added.

By Baek Byung-yeul

The Korea Times (Click)