The rapid growth of VOD is changing international release strategies and transforming the film industry - from production to distribution. What can be the best choice between theatres and VOD – between making films immediately available online around the world or adopting a traditional country-by-country approach? This debate brings together producers, distributors, sales agents, operators and aggregators.
With: Mathieu Bejot, TVFI; Daniela Elstner, Adef; Aurélie Gomez, Agit Prog; Bertrand Faivre, Le Bureau; Jane Roger, JHR distribution ; Aurore Auguste, Institut français ; Thorsten Fehse, Neue Visionen Filmverleih

The Institut français is proud to present the first online overview of French cultural virtual reality (VR) and the organisation’s actions supporting this industry.
With: Agnès Alfandari, Institut français ; Pauline Augrin, CNC ; Benoit Blanchard, UniFrance

French musician Molécule and his producer Zorba reveal the first images in a unique immersive sound experience, Musique Polaire, filmed in Greenland while working on a new album to be released in 2018.
With: Guillaume de la Boulaye and Olivier Mardi, Zorba Production 
 

Fondation Liban Cinéma
Fondation Liban Cinéma is a non-profit private association created in February 2003, to participate in the development of the cinema industry in Lebanon, on the local as well as regional and international level. Fondation Liban Cinema has signed a MOU with the Ministry of Culture acknowledging its role as an institution that supports the development of the Lebanese cinema in all its aspects.
In the presence of Maya De Freige, Fondation Liban Cinéma
 
5th edition of FINAL CUT IN VENICE
The workshop to support the post-production of African films (all countries of Africa) and Arab films (Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria) will take place at the Venice Film Festival, from September 3 to 5, 2017. During the workshop, working copies of 6 specially selected post-production films will be presented to a public of producers, buyers, distributors and programmers of international film festivals, in order to promote possible co-production partnerships and access to the distribution market.The workshop will end with the awarding of prizes in kind or in cash, finalized to the economic support of the films during the post-production.
In the presence of Thierry Lenouvel and Alessandra Speciale, Final Cut in Venice

For the Jean Rouch Centenary and the 70th Festival de Cannes, the Film Heritage Directorate of the CNC, in partnership with the Jean Rouch Fondation, the 2017 Jean Rouch Centenary Association, the National Center for Scientific Research and the Ethnographic Film Committee, presents within the framework of Cannes Classics a restored digital Jean Rouch film. The Institut français is partnering events organized in France and around the world, and broadcasts within its international network the Jean Rouch Focus, «Les mallettes cinématographiques», a program of 34 rare and unreleased films.
With: Andréa Paganini, Fondation Jean Rouch; Catherine Ruelle, Centenaire Jean Rouch ; Agnès Nordmann et Véronique Joo'Aisenberg, Institut français

There are many new theatre chains and distribution networks boasting international catalogues in Africa. But how do they perform in terms of African films? The Institut français promotes contemporary and historical African cinema through La Cinémathèque Afrique and coordinates a programme to equip theatres around the world (including seven in Africa) with digital technology. This event brings together experts, distributors, producers and filmmakers to discuss this issue.
With: Véronique Joo'Aisenberg, La Cinémathèque Afrique (Institut français); CNA; Alex Moussa Sawadogo, Afrikamera / Ouagafilm Lab; Jean Roke Patoudem, African content producer and distributor; Laza, director and founder of the RFC (Rencontres du Film Court Madagascar); Moussa Toure, director, Moussa invite’s coordinator ; Steven Markovitz, Big World Cinéma (BWC Cape Town), African Screen Network
 

In the presence of Cait Pansegrouw, REALNESS ; Edy Payet, Agence Film Réunion

The African continent is changing and new theatres are opening. How do professionals identify talented young African filmmakers to produce tomorrow’s films? This round table organized by the IOF brings together training, development, project support and communication specialists. It focuses on successful initiatives, such as the Nouveaux Talents competition on Ivorian television supported by Marguerite Abouet, which led to a series of innovative new projects.
With Youma Fall. In the presence of Catherine Jean-Joseph, Ecole Miroir; Claire Diao, journalist ; Alain Modot, distributor (DIFFA) ; Machérie Ekwa, director (RDC) ; Laza Razanajatovo, director of "Rencontres du film court de Madagascar"

The Institut français is a key player in the international promotion of French heritage films. For this event, it brings together a number of experts and film personalities to discuss successes and failures in this field. It will also present two upcoming film cycles: a series on Jean-Pierre Melville and a series on Jean Rouch, both celebrating the centenaries of their births.
With: Gian Luca Farinelli, Cineteca di Bologna ; Séverine Wemaere, Festival Memory en Birmanie ; Franck Loiret, Cinémathèque de Toulouse ; Laurent Cormier, CNC ; Olivier Bohler, Nocturnes Productions ; Rémy Grumbach, Laurent Grousset, Pascale Fortunat, Fondation Jean-Pierre Melville ; Charlotte Saluard (Ciné Lumière, Londres) ; Andréa Paganini et Véronique Joo'Aisenberg (Centenaire et Focus Jean Rouch) ; Institut Lumière

The 4th Shoot the Book! programme in Cannes will promote French literary works to international producers from 22 to 24 May. Highlights include an EAVE workshop on 22 May and pitches by the publishers of ten works selected by an international jury to producers at 10:30 a.m. on 23 May in the Salon des Ambassadeurs. Also on 23 May, selections for the Shanghai and Los Angeles events will be announced at Les Cinémas du Monde pavilion at 7 p.m. Finally, at 9:30 a.m. on 24 May, a business breakfast will take place for French publishers and producers. Shoot the Book! is an initiative launched by SCELF and BIEF in partnership with the Ile-de-France Film Commission and the Institut français with support from SOFIA and the CFC.