France is ramping up efforts to achieve gender equality in the local production sector with the CNC’s introduction of a penalty for films that d
France is ramping up efforts to achieve gender equality in the local production sector with the CNC’s introduction of a penalty for films that do not hire a minimum number of women in key positions.
It will come into force for all films that start shooting from January 1, 2027.
Since 2019, the CNC has offered a “parity bonus” for productions in which the director and key crew members are women based on a points system. However, 2024 figures released last year in the CNC’s annual gender equality report raised industry alarm bells since just 34% of French films over the year were eligible for the parity bonus, down on previous years.
Additionally, the proportion of films directed by women fell to 24% in 2024, its lowest level since 2019.
In response, the CNC is extending the parity bonus to a 10% raise in funding for films with at least 40% women in key management roles, while productions that fail to hire a minimum number of women in such roles will see a 10% drop in CNC funding.
The CNC said its target is 40% women in key roles in film productions by 2030. CNC-backed films that have received the parity bonus to date include Richard Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague and Amelie Bonnin’s Leave One Day.
To simplify the eligibility calculation for the bonus, the CNC is replacing its existing points-based system with a single list of jobs in film productions, a minimum number of which must be held by a woman.
Currently, this concerns 15 posts for fiction films and 13 for documentaries, with productions being eligible for the bonus if at least six of those positions are filled by women.
For animated films, nine women must fill roles among 21 listed jobs for 2D animations and 10 out of 24 listed roles in 3D animation.
Gradual phasing
To allow producers time to adapt to the fresh rules, the penalty portion of the initiative will be phased in gradually between 2027 and 2030. Starting in January, at least three women must fill key positions for fiction films, five for animated titles and two for documentaries. The thresholds will raise in stages until 2030, when they reach the same levels as those outlined for the bonus.
In addition to its annual gender parity report and the fresh measures for film productions, the CNC ensures 50-50 parity among its own committees that determine which films receive aid and only supports film festivals whose juries include as many women as men.
It has also launched a series of parallel reforms to prevent sexual assault on film sets with mandatory training and other resources to make sure that women feel safe and sound throughout the production process.
The move for the penalty was first announced by the country’s former culture minister Rachida Dati at Cannes 2025. CNC president Gaetan Bruel doubled down on the policy when presenting the findings of the study later that year.
“Parity is priceless, but its absence will now come at a cost,” he said at the time. “This is a paradigm shift and a message to the entire industry: we will no longer be satisfied with good intentions. The movement must be real and measurable.”
