Canal+ said on Monday that it has signed a five-year deal to channel €980 million into French and European cinema beginning in 2028. The agreement, described by the broadcaster as its largest-ever financial commitment to the film industry, covers programming on Canal+ as well as the Cine+ OCS channels and was reached with industry bodies representing the sector.
Under the terms of the arrangement, Canal+ will make French, European and international feature films available to its subscribers six months after those films have premiered in cinemas. The company characterized the pact as unprecedented in scale, duration and the range of commitments it includes.
In a statement, Canal+ said: "Given its scale, duration and the commitments it entails, this agreement between a broadcaster and the film industry is unprecedented." The company framed the investment as a reaffirmation of its involvement in the film ecosystem.
The announcement comes amid strained relations between Canal+ and parts of France’s film community over the role of the broadcaster’s largest shareholder, Vincent Bollore. In May, roughly 600 film professionals signed a petition that criticized Bollore’s perceived influence and accused him of promoting a far-right agenda through his media holdings. Canal+ responded at the time by threatening to blacklist those who signed the petition.
Canal+ Chief Executive Maxime Saada said the investment underlines the company’s backing for "cinema, its power, creativity, and diversity." The CEO positioned the commitment as support for the industry’s artistic and cultural dimensions.
On scale, Canal+ operates in more than 70 countries, employs about 15,000 people and serves in excess of 40 million subscribers globally. The new five-year investment is set to begin in 2028 and is focused on supporting film production and availability within French and European markets.
Key points
- Canal+ has pledged €980 million over five years, starting in 2028, to support French and European cinema - impacting media and entertainment sectors.
- The agreement covers Canal+ and Cine+ OCS channels and requires films to be available to subscribers six months after theatrical release - relevant for distributors and exhibitors.
- The move is the broadcaster’s largest commitment to the film industry and arrives amid public tensions with parts of the French film community - relevant to corporate governance and reputation.
Risks and uncertainties
- Ongoing tensions with the film community tied to shareholder influence could affect industry relationships and collaboration - a reputational risk for the media sector.
- Execution risk exists in delivering the pledged investment and ensuring the contractual commitments are met starting in 2028 - relevant to content supply chains and programming schedules.
- The agreement’s terms on release windows may influence theatrical distribution dynamics and exhibitor economics - a market-structure uncertainty for cinemas and distributors.