Section 2: Counterparts to financial aid

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Article 121-2

French Cinema and Moving Image CodeIn force

Updated 8 Nov 2023

The granting of financial aid by the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée is subject, in the general interest, to quid pro quos on the part of the beneficiaries of this aid, the exclusive purpose of which is to promote and publicise the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée, its missions, its support schemes and the works and projects that have benefited from this aid.
The nature as well as the conditions and limits of this compensation are set out below:
1° In return for financial aid for the creation, distribution and digitisation of heritage cinematographic works, the beneficiaries transfer to the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée, free of charge and non-exclusively, within the limit of the exploitation rights they hold, the reproduction and representation rights, on any medium, of the following items:
a) Extracts from cinematographic, audiovisual or multimedia works, as well as the original music and bonuses that accompany them, of a maximum duration of two minutes;
b) Trailers, posters, photographs, particularly of the filming or photograms of cinematographic, audiovisual or multimedia works, as well as any other form of publicity material;
c) Scenarios for cinematographic, audiovisual or multimedia works or, depending on the genre to which these works belong, any similar documents or documents serving as such;
2° In return for financial aid for the modernisation of technical industries and technological innovation, beneficiaries must provide the Centre National du Cinéma et de l'Image Animée with a video presentation of the project they have produced, and transfer to it, free of charge and on a non-exclusive basis, within the limit of the exploitation rights they hold, the reproduction and representation rights on any medium;
3° In return for financial support for creation and broadcasting on digital platforms, beneficiaries assign to the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée, free of charge and non-exclusively, within the limits of the exploitation rights they hold, the right to reproduce and represent all or part of the works and video presentations of the projects provided in the application file, for the following non-commercial uses:
a) On digital channels, the website and the official accounts of the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée on social networks;
b) On any medium for the purpose of promoting the activities and missions of the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée;
4° In return for financial aid granted to support actions or projects of general or collective interest, or the overall activity of public or private bodies in the field of cinema and other moving image arts and industries, the beneficiaries provide the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée with a video presentation of the action or project carried out or photographs of the operations carried out, as well as any form of publicity material, for which they transfer to it, free of charge and non-exclusively, within the limit of the exploitation rights they hold, the reproduction and representation rights on any medium;
5° The beneficiaries authorise the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée to incorporate all or part of the elements mentioned in 1°, 2°, 3° and 4°, subject to respect for the moral rights of the author, in a work or document meeting the exclusive purpose mentioned in the first paragraph;
6° The beneficiaries submit to the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée, in accordance with the procedures it institutes, a form drawn up by the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée, duly completed and signed, indicating the characteristics of the elements transferred and defining the scope, purpose, place and duration of the transfer.
At the request of the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée, the beneficiaries shall give it access to the material elements corresponding to the rights assigned.
The Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée shall ensure that the implementation of the rights assigned does not hinder the normal exploitation of the works or projects that have benefited from the aid. In particular, it shall ensure that industrial and commercial secrecy and intellectual property rights are respected.

Mariela Petrova

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Working with a corporate lawyer in France — Q&A

Any time a strategic decision changes how the company is owned, governed or contractually bound — incorporation, fundraising, M&A, restructuring, shareholder agreements, or major commercial contracts. Earlier engagement always costs less than later remediation.

A notary (notaire) is a public officer who authenticates specific deeds (mainly real-estate transfers and certain family-law acts). A corporate lawyer (avocat) advises on strategy, negotiates and drafts company documents, and represents you in disputes. The two roles complement rather than overlap.

Yes — most of our clients are foreign suppliers, investors or holding entities. We bridge the gap between French law and your home jurisdiction's expectations and deliver everything bilingually.

The SAS (Société par Actions Simplifiée) is the default choice for most international structures: flexible governance, single shareholder allowed, no minimum capital, and works cleanly with foreign holding entities. We assess SARL, SA, SCI on the merits when the situation calls for it.

Yes — communications with a French avocat are protected by the secret professionnel (Article 66-5 of the Law of 31 December 1971). This protection is broader than the common-law attorney-client privilege and applies to written and oral exchanges.

We work on fixed fees for clearly scoped engagements (incorporation, contract drafting, audits) and on monthly retainers for ongoing advisory. Hourly billing is the exception, not the default. You always know the cost before work starts.

Typical timeline is 2–3 weeks from KYC kick-off to RCS registration, assuming standard documentation. Holding-company structures, foreign-shareholder identification or in-kind contributions can extend this — we flag the gating items at the first meeting.

Absolutely. We routinely coordinate with your in-house counsel, expert-comptable or notaire — pragmatic collaboration is the norm, not the exception. We send them everything they need to do their part without duplicating work.

Mariela Petrova

Mariela Petrova

Avocate au Barreau de Paris

Toque #C2396

15+ Years In Corporate Practice

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Communications protected by professional secrecy — secret professionnel de l'avocat, Article 66-5 of the Law of 31 December 1971.

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