For 12 months, about fifteen small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) specializing in cinema exhibition and film distribution will receive tailored support. The goal is to help them win back and sustainably renew cinema audiences.
"The health crisis has profoundly transformed public habits and their relationship with the cinema hall. It forces us to rethink the encounter between works and spectators, in order to sustainably relaunch attendance and continue making cinema a desired, shared, and central cultural practice. From this perspective, innovation in exhibition and distribution is an essential lever. I welcome the launch of the 'Fréquentation Cinéma' accelerator, co-piloted by the CNC and Bpifrance, which combines our skills to support exhibitors and distributors in facing these new challenges," states Gaëtan Bruel, president of the CNC.
Nicolas Parpex, Director of French Touch Capital and leader of the French Touch Plan, emphasizes the importance of the ecosystem: "For six years, French Touch has been supporting and federating players in the French creative economy around a strong conviction: it is by creating an ecosystem that we create the conditions for success. The launch of the 'Fréquentation Cinéma' Accelerator fully illustrates this ambition. I am particularly proud of this collaboration with the CNC, which allows us to pool our expertise for a major industry challenge."
Alexandre Guillo, Director of Bpifrance Accelerators, adds: "The transformation of cultural habits requires us to collectively rethink the future of film distribution and exhibition. The accelerators deployed in partnership with the CNC over the past 5 years have supported over 145 companies. The new 'Fréquentation Cinéma' accelerator, co-piloted with the CNC, embodies this approach."
The Accelerator's program will be structured around three pillars: personalized consulting (initial diagnosis or 3-day 360° diagnosis and 13 days of tailored advice), collective sessions focused on industry-specific issues, and the expertise of an external consultant. Companies will also gain privileged access to entrepreneur networks.
Through this new initiative, the CNC and Bpifrance aim to support fifteen companies in their adaptation projects concerning customer experience, diversification of uses, marketing strategies, and the use of data and AI. Applications are open until the program's launch on January 20, 2027.
