Paris
Frances culture minister sparked debate in the film industry this week when he ruled that certain American-financed films could qualify for Frances state film subsidy. Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres said movies made with American money could qualify, as long as they were filmed in France and contained French dialogue. The ruling is aimed at closing a loophole under which an Oliver Stone movie starring Americans got the subsidy because Stone has a French passport, while a French movie did not because it was financed by Warner Bros. France has long subsidized its film industry to help French films compete in the Hollywood-dominated global market.
