In these times of announced restrictions in public spending, a few days before the government unveils its draft budget for 2025, cinema professionals preferred to take the lead in defending the merits of maintaining the tax credits granted to their sector. For them, it is a question of confirming that the 350 million euros of State investments made within the framework of “La Grande Fabrique de l’image” (the program intended to create centers of cinematographic and audiovisual activities in the region) are essential for France to attract film productions from around the world and catch up with its European competitors in this area.
But also, since these infrastructures wanted by Emmanuel Macron must see the light of day, it would be absurd to touch the existing tax incentives, they defend: 30% of filming expenses can be tax-exempt within the limit of 30 million euros. A carrot that allows them to fill their order books.
With this in mind, the Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, was invited to inaugurate, Wednesday October 2, the TSF studios in Coulommiers (Seine-et-Marne), the first project to come to fruition among all those financed by “La Grande Image factory”. It is on a former air base that a fake Parisian district was built with its Haussmann-style facades, where each building can adapt to the specific needs of the film sets.
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For the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, the main avenue was used for Zinédine Zidane, Olympic flame in hand, to make his way through an inextricable traffic jam of cars from the 1950s. The TSF studios now constitute an alternative to the filming in the capital, access to which is becoming ever more restricted due to the inflation of demands and the weariness of local residents.
Especially since in Coulommiers, directors can have fun performing stunts, simulating explosions or fires… all things impossible in real Parisian streets. Soon, 12 film sets will complete this site to which the State has contributed 14 million euros, out of a total budget of 98 million euros.
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Before the end of the decade, a host of other large studios will emerge, notably in the Montpellier area with Pics Studio and France.tv Studio, in Bouches-du-Rhône with Provence Studio or even in eastern Paris with the renovation and expansion of the studios of Bry-sur-Marne (Val-de-Marne) – where the Château d’If of the Count of Monte-Cristo or the Mexican landscapes of the film Emilia Perezby Jacques Audiard. Projects in which the Caisse des Dépôts has already invested 200 million euros on behalf of the State, and 78 million euros of which have already been paid to carry out the first works. The rest will be paid as the work progresses. To this total are added 67 million euros already paid for the training of all professions in the cinema and audiovisual sector.
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