Markets

The 32nd edition of the Unifrance Rendez-Vous gathered international TV buyers and distribution companies in Le Havre for four days of focused business. The market structure provided a dedicated setting to showcase new slates across drama, animation, and documentary formats, serving as a key kickstart for autumn international sales ahead of the upcoming MIPCOM market. Alongside face-to-face meetings and networking sessions, the event program featured three headline screenings at the Pathé Docks Vauban: the documentary Beasts of the Colosseum (distributed by Balanga), and the scripted series Swapped (France tv distribution) and The Red and the Black (Wild Bunch).

A central moment of the event was the joint presentation of international export performance figures by the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (CNC) and Unifrance. The report revealed that total French audiovisual export revenues—comprising program sales, pre-sales, and co-productions—stood at €282.7 million in 2025, reflecting a 28.1% decline compared to the peak of €393 million recorded in 2024. International program sales totaled €164.3 million (down 21.6%), while pre-sales saw the sharpest contraction, dropping 59.3% to €30.7 million as global commissioners and platforms maintained cautious spending strategies. Despite global market pressures, French programming demonstrated strong audience retention across genres: Fiction led international sales for the fourth consecutive year with €54.9 million, driven by procedural series and event drama. Documentaries represented the second-largest share, securing €43.1 million in global sales across science, history, and current affairs formats and animation is taking the third place. In terms of international reach, Unifrance's sector report confirmed that France maintained its rank as the 3rd country globally—and 1st in the European Union—for the volume of works broadcast on linear television worldwide, alongside a 7th place ranking on SVOD services.

Calls for Transparency and Multilateral Production
In his opening remarks, Unifrance President Gilles Pélisson addressed delegates following his participation in the Lumière Summit, co-organized by French President Emmanuel Macron and President of the Republic of Korea, Lee Jae-myung. Pélisson stressed the necessity of comprehensive market data to ensure fair valuation of content in an ecosystem increasingly driven by global platforms. He noted that without full transparency regarding viewer data across non-linear services, independent producers face persistent challenges in financing high-value, inventive creation. Highlighting the strength of French creative versatility across all formats, Pélisson advocated for closer international cooperation and a model of multilateralism in production to support independent storytelling and ensure long-term cultural diversity.