France-Australia co-prod MoU, under-utilised
The cultural attaché at the French Consulate in Sydney, Jean –Jacques Garnier, believes the Memorandum of Understanding for co-production between France and Australia is currently not being used at 100 percent capacity.
The Consulate has also arranged meetings between visiting director Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Australia’s George Miller and Adam Elliott, during the opening week of the French Film Festival.
“In my opinion, the MoU has not been fully utilised. Unfortunately, the distance can be an obstacle for the possibility of doing films together,” Garnier told Encore.
The MoU with France was signed in 1986 and, according to data from Screen Australia, in the last 23 years it has produced eight features, four mini-series, one telemovie, four series and eight documentaries, totalling a budget of $175.77m. A ninth feature, The Tree, is currently in post-production.
According to Garnier, there is “a very good relationship” between France and Australia in terms of cinema and art.
“We are working with Screen Australia, to discuss the possibility of extending the current arrangement. And of course, Screen Australia goes to Cannes every year, and they work with [French counterpart] the Centre National de la Cinematographie (CNC).”
This week, the French government facilitated encounters between filmmakers, organising meetings between Jean-Pierre Jeunet – here to present his latest project Micmacs, screening at the 21st Alliance Française French Film Festival – and Australian directors George Miller and Adam Elliott.
“They’ve met, and these directors who can share a lot of points in common. You never know [if a project might come out of these meetings]; it’s just a beginning, to establish a connection between two directors, and to understand each other’s work. It’s an opportunity and I’m sure they’re going to stay in touch.
“When you organise the meeting, you hope that in time something could happen.”
These meetings in particular were scheduled because Elliot’s Mary & Max was well-received by the French critics and audiences, and George Miller will be presented tonight with the Order of Arts and Letters. Other Australians who have been awarded an Order include David Stratton, Robyn Archer, Alan R Dodge, Doug Hall, Kylie Minogue, Leo Schofield and Andrea Stretton.
“French embassies around the world present candidates to the Minister of Culture and Communication, and he selects the recipients. We proposed Miller in our list and he was chosen because his films have been are very popular in France, and he’s one of the directors the French people identify as Australian,” said Garnier.
“Many French people work for his company Kennedy-Miller, and that’s another link with France. He’s also said that he likes French cinema.”
