Presentation

ARTE France Cinéma supports the production of some twenty films every year. We are as keen to support the work of established filmmakers as to discover talent from all backgrounds exploring cinematic genres of every kind.

In addition to these twenty fiction features, we also support two to four documentary feature films and one animation feature per year.

Project proposals must be sent to us by French producers who are either executive producers or co-producers of the film, and must be accompanied by an application completely drafted in – or translated into – French (cf. list of information necessary for the submission).

The co-production contract includes a pre-purchase component for broadcast on ARTE’s television channel and its digital platform arte.tv. The total investment in projects co-produced by ARTE France Cinéma and pre-purchased by ARTE France varies according to the type and characteristics of each film. (cf. terms and conditions of co-production)

If you’d like to submit a proposal for the co-production of a feature-length film (fiction, documentary, animation) to ARTE France Cinéma, you can file your application on the dedicated platform by clicking on the following button: :

Submit my proposal

 

Important

- For fiction feature acquisitions, please write to the Cinema unit by clicking here

- For short and medium-length films, refer to the unit’s page here

- For documentary feature films, please contact the Arts and Performances unit, or the Discovery and Knowledge unit, or the Society and Culture unit (cf. editorial lines)

How we work

Fiction features

Proposals are accepted on a quarterly basis (cf. submission deadlines). Projects are then examined by an editorial team which includes external members so that each script is assessed by at least three people.

The director of the Cinéma unit pre-selects approximately ten scripts for presentation to the ARTE France Cinéma Selection Committee.

This committee is composed of filmmakers and industry representatives as well as cinema department directors from ARTE France and ARTE G.E.I.E. It meets four times a year to review and select projects. At the end of this process, applicants are notified if their project has been selected or rejected.

 

Documentary features

ARTE France Cinéma welcomes and registers documentary proposal applications three times a year (cf. submission deadlines).

Projects are examined the following month by the editorial teams of the Society and Culture unit. The final choice is jointly made by the Society and Culture unit of ARTE France, which ensures editorial oversight, and the ARTE France Cinéma subsidiary, which is responsible for the legal and financial aspects. The Selection Committee plays no role in this decision.

Once this process is completed, applicants are notified if their project has been selected or rejected.

 

Animation features

Proposals must be sent to us by the end of September (cf. submission deadlines). They are examined in autumn by the editorial team and the final selection is announced by the end of the calendar year. The Selection Committee plays no role in this decision.

Once this process is completed, applicants are notified if their project has been selected or rejected.

 

2023/24 calendar

Please check this section regularly for updates as these dates may be subject to change.

 

Fiction features

Submission deadline

Selection committee

11 September 2023

12 December 2023

4 December 2023

7 March 2024

4 March 2024

20 June 2024

3 June 2024

19 September 2024

9 September 2024

12 December 2024

 

Documentary features

Submission deadline

Selection committee

15 January 2024

February 2024

6 May 2024

June 2024

16 September 2024

October 2024

 

Animation features

Submission deadline

Selection committee

30 September 2023

Autumn 2024

 

Download the terms and conditions of co-production

Information necessary for the submission of your proposal

 

  • Producer’s contact information
  • Production house (SIREN number)
  • Title (Original + Title in French)
  • Feature category (Fiction, documentary, animation)
  • Genre (original concept, remake, adaptation, graphic novel adaptation)
  • Type (French film, international co-production, first film)
  • Last name and first name of the director
  • Filmography and links to previous films
  • Last name and first name of the author
  • Casting project
  • Estimated length of the film
  • Estimated duration, length and location of the shoot 
  • Shooting language
  • Shooting format
  • Co-producing country/company
  • Any investment approvals (France, Europe, E.O.F.)
  • Budget
  • Short synopsis (log line)
  • Long synopsis
  • Producer’s statement of intent
  • Director’s statement of intent
  • Script (Fiction or animation feature) or treatment (feature-length documentary)
  • Estimated quote
  • Financing plan
  • Optional elements: mood board, film reviews, storyboard
Generic selection process

Receipt confirmation of the proposal

Study within the subsidiary

Notification of the answer within two months

Discover our other units
Arte-Arts et Spectacles
Arts and Performances

Stories, art, music, live performances. ARTE France tells about creation in all its forms.

27_STILL_004
Short and medium-length films

Whether fiction or animation, ARTE France supports and introduces young international filmmakers with Court-circuit, ARTE's magazine dedicated to short films.

En thérapie
Fiction

Series that are causing a stir.

Gardiens de la forêt
Discovery and Knowledge

Explore, decrypt, astonish. Themes: ancient history and civilisations, science, natural history and cultures around the globe.

Agnès Varda sur le tournage de son film Les Créatures (1965)  Photographie de Marilù Parolini © 1965 ciné-tamaris
Feature films

Masterpieces from contemporary and classic auteur cinema

Poney magique
Digital Creations

ARTE France, the European cultural platform, innovates  and creates on every screen.

Chili
Society and Culture

Documentary stories, emotion, accessibility