Repeal of the rules for the release of films in France

Following the  government’s  lockdown measures, cinemas were forced to close. Exceptionally, the National Centre for Cinema and the Moving Image (Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée - CNC) authorized the direct release of films online, derogating from its rules on timing that require a theatrical release first. It agreed to a reduction in the theatrical release time (normally four months). For films scheduled for release after 14 March 2020, the CNC allowed on-demand video streaming, without waiting for cinemas to reopen and without requiring producers and networks to repay subsidies granted for screening.

(See The CNC will consult with the film industry on the exceptional ways of releasing films during the COVID-19 epidemic.)