As French production continues to thrive across all major categories, the 30th edition of the Unifrance Rendez-Vous market will commence for the first time in Le Havre, attracting international buyers from around the globe.

Last year, the Rendez-Vous drew over 200 international buyers from 40 countries, alongside 58 French sales companies. Organizers anticipate similar participation for the upcoming edition.

Speaking with Variety about this year’s event, Unifrance’s president, Gilles Pélisson , and executive director, Daniela Elstner , offer their insights on the latest trends, the significant role of the Rendez-Vous for the industry, and the growing international reach of French programming, from high-end drama to animation and documentary fare.

While international streaming services have been scaling back their original productions, French productions continue to thrive in all major areas, Pélisson notes.

“French production has seen steady growth in recent years, especially in fiction. Animation has always been a strong point, and this trend will continue. French animation was even featured at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games with the Minions! Regarding documentaries, they attract buyers from around the world and are a significant part of the programs presented during the Rendez-Vous. This remarkable diversity of French programs facilitates sales not just to streamers but to broadcasters of all kinds.”

Pélisson emphasizes that the European Union’s Audiovisual Media Services Directive is driving “various streamers to seek European content.” This directive mandates a 30% quota of European content for streamers in member states. “While it’s still too early to assess the full impact, we are likely to see the consequences in the future.”

Unifrance will unveil precise industry statistics for 2023 during the Rendez-Vous.

Notable highlights at this year’s market include France Télévisions’ “Zorro,” starring Jean Dujardin; Federation Studios’ “Ça, c’est Paris,” a story about a theater director seeking to revive his once renowned cabaret; Mediawan’s cop show “Tom & Lola”; mystery drama “The Eclipse,” from About Premium Content; and  ARTE Distribution’s animated documentary series “The Legends of Paris: a Tale of the 19th Century Artistic Scene.”

The shows reflect the ongoing appeal of television for filmmakers and actors and its potential for high-quality content.

“Recognizing this trend for some time, Unifrance combined the two previously separate associations — TV and cinema — three years ago,” Elstner notes. “This allows us to be stronger as we can offer comprehensive promotion to all our members. We can fully address the needs of French talents, as well as international distributors and producers.

“In this way, we have expanded the promotional aspects for the programs at the Rendez-Vous: adding a Gala screening with the director, screenwriter and cast present, and engaging with our various social media platforms to bring the programs to life in new ways: ‘Ca, c’est Paris’ will be our Gala Screening, ‘Zorro’ will be presented at the closing night. This type of promotional effort continues throughout the year. At the end of October this year, for the first time, Unifrance will be organizing special events around World Animation Day. MyFrenchAnimationDays (MyFAD) will be highlighting French animated series and films, ‘The Legends of Paris,’ an animated documentary series, will be part of it.”

The Rendez-Vous is also aiding French content creators in finding new buyers and new markets.

“Last year was my first time attending the Rendez-Vous,” Pélisson notes. “I was able to see the great opportunity the event offers to all participants. For an international distributor, spending four days in a kind of a bubble with buyers who are focused on French programs brings new connections and possibilities. In traditional markets, you don't always have the time to speak to everyone. Additionally, during the Rendez-Vous, buyers exchange information among themselves. If they like a program, they might also recommend it to the buyer of another country. This word-of-mouth is critical and presents new opportunities for French productions.”

The market is expanding its reach despite recent challenges, Elstner says.

“We invite international buyers from all over the world to attend the Rendez-Vous Unifrance Le Havre. Like other market organizations, we are addressing new challenges in the post-pandemic era, such as travel restrictions due to environmental concerns. The decision to relocate from Biarritz to Le Havre was partly driven by Le Havre's proximity to Paris and its accessibility by local train. We are excited to welcome new buyers, particularly from the United States and Asia.”

“Our primary markets are traditionally based in Europe,” Pélisson adds. “The U.S. has become a significant partner, especially for fiction programming. The Rendez-Vous brings together buyers from major pay and free television broadcasters across Europe. This year, we are thrilled to have new participants from Latin America and Asia.

“For the 2024 edition of the Rendez-Vous, Unifrance is introducing a new venue, made possible by the strong support of the city of Le Havre and the Normandy region,” Pélisson notes. “We will have a different location for each evening. Hopefully, this will generate fresh opportunities for French programming.”

This year's event will feature approximately 40 participating territories and around 200 buyers, similar to last year's event.

“We are facing new challenges, particularly as this is our first edition in Le Havre,” Elstner says. “But with over 1,000 programs screened, we are confident that buyers will have a rewarding experience.”