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Interview
Cinema

Yaël Fogiel and Stéphane Goudet, new presidents of the Aide aux cinémas du monde

We really want to reaffirm that the glory of French cinema lies in helping to produce world cinema.

Yaël Fogiel, producer at Les Films du Poisson, and Stéphane Goudet, artistic director at Cinéma Le Méliès in Montreuil, are the new presidents of Aide aux cinémas du monde. Co-managed by the Institut français and the CNC, this fund is granted to feature film projects intended for a first release. They discuss their motivations, as well as the challenges and the future of the Aide aux cinémas du monde, which celebrates its 12th anniversary this year. 

Published on 06/06/2024

5 min

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itv ACM
Crédits
© DR

Respectively a producer and an exhibitor, you are the new presidents of Aide aux cinémas du monde. What motivated you to accept this presidency?

Yaël Fogiel: My work as a producer takes up a lot of my time, but I like to occasionally participate in commissions because it allows me to contribute with my perspective as an independent producer in the selection of projects. It also allows me to see what is happening outside of my own environment, keeping me informed about the projects of talents, market trends, and so on. When I was approached about this presidency, I was immediately interested because it involved watching films in editing. I wanted a different experience from reading scripts, and Aide aux cinémas du monde particularly appealed to me as I had previously had the opportunity to apply for it and sometimes receive it. Having always had my eyes set abroad, it was clear to me that I belonged in this position.

Stéphane Goudet: For my part, it’s a bit different because I started as vice-president in the previous term. So, the question was whether I wanted to continue or not, but given this past experience, the answer was very clearly yes. I believe it is a very good vantage point to observe world cinema, where one can have a real impact on the possibility of completing films under good conditions. Naturally, when you work in a cinema like Le Méliès, you are very inclined towards the diversity of world cinema and the opportunity to showcase all the cinemas of the world. It therefore seemed coherent to me to question the state of world cinema and to observe, continent by continent, its recent evolution.

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Yaël Fogiel
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Yaël Fogiel
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It is fascinating to be able to take a look at films in editing or final editing stages and to bring my expertise in production, the creative and economic journey, and the entire editing process.

To what extent do you think your different backgrounds and experiences can enrich your presidency?

Yaël Fogiel: Having multiple experiences, whether as a producer or an exhibitor, is very interesting. On my side, I am often at the beginning of the chain, from the moment the idea of the film appears, and I remain involved until the end. However, during the exhibition phase, I am there as a producer and therefore less decision-making. It is fascinating to be able to take a look at films in editing or final editing stages and to bring my expertise in production, the creative and economic journey, and the entire editing process. Stéphane's perspective, with his deep understanding of theaters and the market, is also very valuable. 

Stéphane Goudet: During this experience, I have been passionate about the diversity of profiles present in the commission. Previous years, with Prune Engler (former president of Aide aux cinémas du monde), were very surprising in terms of seeing how a musician or an editor talks about cinema. The idea of the presidencies becoming co-presidencies, based on gender diversity and the complementarity of profiles, seemed like a very good thing to me. Yaël is a producer I deeply admire, which reinforced my desire to continue. Les Films du Poisson, in my opinion, are among the most important producers on French soil with the greatest openness to international collaborations, so I had no doubt that we would work together in respect of each other's specificities and with a spirit of dialogue. 

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Le Barrage - Ali Cherri
© Kino Elektron
Le Barrage - Ali Cherri
The Dam / Le Barrage (2022), un film d'Ali Cherri qui a bénéficié du soutien de l'ACM

As a duo, how do you envision your collaboration? What actions do you plan to undertake or defend in the coming months?

Yaël Fogiel: For the moment, we haven't made any decisions yet. I have mainly been listening to Stéphane, who already has experience, and I have been able to observe the proceedings of a joint commission. I have followed his approach, which is very pleasant as it fosters dialogue and exchange, allowing committee members to express themselves. This dialogue is set up like a sort of laboratory, and it is something I love: we are with people who are not personally involved but are intellectually engaged. 

Stéphane Goudet: I would add that, even though we have only had one joint commission so far, it went very well. We had a preliminary exchange, which was very pleasant and open to everyone's viewpoints, making it very enriching even before facing the entire commission. I felt there was a shared pleasure in discussing, accepting that we wouldn't agree on everything. It was particularly interesting because the films were not necessarily the best batch of recent years. We had to understand how people would engage with films that were a bit less polished than usual. 

Sous les figues, un film d'Erige Sehiri soutenu par l'ACM
Sous les figues, un film d'Erige Sehiri soutenu par l'ACM

What selection criteria do the films chosen by Aide aux cinémas du monde have to meet? What are your expectations and desires for the upcoming films that may benefit from this aid? 

Yaël Fogiel: On our side, the interest lies in the fact that, for the third category, we don't only receive first films. For the committee, we know that these are necessarily films that have already been presented to the commission with a screenplay but were rejected by the reading committees. It's fascinating to see those that were rejected and to be able to decide who to give a second chance. Personally, for me, a successful film is one that is better than its screenplay. 

Stéphane Goudet: I completely agree with that. The idea of the second-chance commission is fascinating: something that, on paper, wasn't strong or solid enough becomes, through the grace of direction and the actors' performances, a finished film. I like the perspective that we can be wrong in the first and second commissions, that filmmakers can evolve their projects to make them even more interesting, including following the feedback they received. Among the criteria, we try to select as many first and second films as films by established filmmakers to maintain a balance. We also attempt to ensure that all continents are represented to avoid favoring one region over another. Finally, we want to establish a balance between male and female directors to contribute to renewal. In numbers, 42% of the aid granted in 2023 went to female directors. 

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Stéphane Goudet
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Stéphane Goudet
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There is an urgency to defend the Aide aux cinémas du monde in a context of budgetary restrictions. We really want to reaffirm that the glory of French cinema lies in helping to produce world cinema.

Do you have a recent favorite, a remarkable film selected by Aide aux cinémas du monde, that you would like to share or support?

Yaël Fogiel: Unfortunately, we haven't been able to see all the films supported and selected for this edition at the Cannes Festival, but among the films from our committee, I would mention Everybody Loves Touda by Nabil Ayouch, which will be shown at Cannes Première. I had a particular fondness for this film, which is an extraordinary portrait of a woman.

Stéphane Goudet: I haven't yet seen the films selected this year for the official competition, but I recently rewatched a feature that will be at ACID this year, Mi Bestia by Camila Beltrán. It’s a disturbing film about adolescence, metamorphosis, and the irrational, experienced on a global scale. We were able to see it before *Le Règne Animal*, but it’s strange to rewatch it now that the film has been released, as there is a real dialogue between them. Among the films supported last year, my favorites would be The Golden Butterfly Tree by Pham Thien An, The Dam by Ali Cherri, and Under the Fig Trees by Erige Sehiri.

L'Arbre aux papillons d'or, un film de Pham Thien An soutenu par l'ACM
L'Arbre aux papillons d'or, un film de Pham Thien An soutenu par l'ACM

What are your hopes for the coming years of Aide aux cinémas du monde, which is celebrating its 12th anniversary? 

Yaël Fogiel: Personally, I hope that Aide aux cinémas du monde can continue for as long as possible because it is exceptional, unique, and of enormous importance to foreign filmmakers. It's not just about financial support; it's truly a collaboration with a French partner who brings their expertise. As a producer, I have obtained this aid before, and each time, it was really essential. 

Stéphane Goudet: I also think that there is an urgency to defend this aid in the context of budgetary restrictions. We really want to reaffirm that the glory of French cinema lies in helping to produce world cinema, and the best of world cinema, and that this aid is one of the most effective means to achieve that. Therefore, it needs to be strengthened. I was delighted to see that among the measures taken this year, an increase in the funds allocated to Aide aux cinémas du monde was decided. Additionally, it is very pleasant to work with two institutions that are aligned, namely the Institut français and the CNC. I feel that the dynamic of the commission is also the result of the good relationship between the two institutions regarding this aid and a continuous dialogue that encourages us to keep moving forward. 

The Institut français and the Aide aux cinémas du monde

The Aide aux cinémas du monde fund is co-managed by the Institut français and the CNC. 

Learn more about the Aide aux cinémas du monde fund 

L'institut français, LAB