FILM COUNCIL AND CNC LAUNCH SHORT CHANNEL

A JOINT programme for making short films - The Short Channel - was announced by the CNC and the Film Council's New Cinema Fund during the 12th Festival of British Film in Dinard, France.
During the forum on UK/French film production, John Woodward Chief Executive Officer of the UK's Film Council and David Keesler Head of the French CNC gave an overview of the British and French industries.
Details of The Short Channel were then outlined by Marc Nicolas of CNC and Paul Trijbits of the New Cinema Fund during this annual get-together of French and British producers.
Both UK and France organisations see the joint venture as providing a real opportunity for a meeting of creative minds and a genuine cultural exchange between writers, directors and producers from both sides of the channel.
To achieve this the Film Council's New Cinema Fund and the CNC's short film fund are providing matching funding totalling Euros 300 000. The scheme will deliver six short films based on three screenplays: three pairs of directors (British and French) will work on three scripts, finally producing one French and one British version.
The premiere of the complete programme will take place at the 13th Festival of British Films in Dinard in October next year.
It is intended that such co-operation between the two national organisations will lead to future collaboration. (CD)