'Caméra Libre': a French plan to foster freedom of speech for muzzled filmmakers

Launch of the 'Caméra Libre' residency programme with L-R Dominique Boutonnat, president of the CNC ; film director Costa Gavras ; Bénédicte Alliot, director of the Cité internationale des arts and Mathieu Fournet, director for international and european affairs, at Cannes, 20 May 2022. © Eric Bonté / CNC

France is to help filmmakers from countries where freedom of speech is under threat with a new residency programme that will support a dozen directors each year.

The filmmakers, whose projects will be selected by a commission, will be brought to France for six months at a time under the scheme known as 'Caméra Libre' (Free Camera).