Cinema of France
The cinema of France comprises the film industry and its film productions, whether made within the nation of France or by French film production companies abroad. It is the oldest and largest precursor of national cinemas in Europe; with primary influence also on the creation of national cinemas in Asia.
See also: Lists of French filmsCinema of France
5,653 (2014)[1]
20th Century Studios (The Walt Disney Company) (14.6%)
Warner Bros. (9.8%)
UGC (6.9%)[1]
258
36 (5.3%)
127 (18.6%)
197.1 million
77.8 million (39.47%)
€1.31 billion
€493.10 million (43.1%)
France has had a very strong film industry, due in part to protections afforded by the French Government.[3] In 2013, France was the second largest exporter of films in the world after the United States, and a 2014 study showed that French cinema was the most appreciated by global audiences after that of the US.[4][4]
In 2015 France produced more films than any other European country, producing a record-breaking 300 feature-length films, and France is one of the few countries where non-American productions have the biggest share, largely due to the commercial strength of domestic productions.
The most influential film directors in the history of French cinema are Jean Renoir, Marcel Carné, François Truffaut, and Jean-Luc Godard. France has also been a leading destination for filmmakers and actors from around the world.
Many film festivals are held in France, including the internationally famous Cannes Film Festival.
Movie theaters[edit]
On 2 February 2000 in Paris, Philippe Binant realized the first digital cinema projection in Europe, with the DLP Cinema technology developed by Texas Instruments.[10][11][12]
In 2011 Paris had the highest density of cinemas in the world, measured by the number of movie theaters per inhabitant,[30] In most downtown Paris movie theaters, foreign or arthouse films movies are shown alongside mainstream movies.
Paris also boasts the Cité du cinéma, a major studio north of the city, and Disney Studio, a theme park devoted to the cinema.[31]
Notable French film distribution and/or production companies include: