At a time when the Cannes Festival puts French cinema in the spotlight around the world, Occitania confirms its status as a major land of filming and audiovisual creation.
The French cultural exception takes on its full meaning with the opening of the Cannes Film Festival this week. Once again, our country is being scrutinized by the whole world through the eyes of cinema lovers. French cinema has always stood out internationally. Behind the power of Hollywood and American cinema which largely dominate the global industry, “made in France” continues to shine. In 2023, French films generated nearly 40 million admissions internationally, making France the 2nd largest exporter of films in the world. This dynamic fully benefits Occitanie, which has become one of the great French cinema and audiovisual territories. According to Occitanie Filmsthe region hosted forty French and foreign productions in 2024, representing more than 2,800 days of filming. Feature films, television series and platforms are developing strongly there, including emblematic filming in the Gard around Tomorrow belongs to us, Such a big sun or Here it all begins. Today, Occitanie is in the top three of the most attractive regions of France for filming, alongside ÃŽle-de-France and the PACA region. It has even become the first French region for hosting audiovisual dramas according to a CNC study relayed in 2024. Beyond the image, this success represents a real economic strength: 11,000 jobs, more than 500 companies, 1,000 actors and 1,400 technicians live directly or indirectly from this sector. The economic impact is estimated at nearly 90 million euros per year. These results are the fruit of a proactive policy carried out by the Occitanie region and its president Carole Delga, who invests more than 4 million euros each year in favor of audiovisual creation. Arles also benefits from this dynamic thanks to the richness of its heritage and the attractiveness of the Camargue. The feature film The Wire by Daniel Auteuil was recently filmed there, while many productions regularly choose the area as a setting. With its cinema office, the City supports production companies and facilitates the hosting of filming. Cinema is no longer just a cultural showcase. It has become an economic engine, a tool of attractiveness and a formidable lever of influence for our territories.
