How French Artisans Blend Expertise and Flexibility to Boost Films Like ‘The Substance,' ‘Emilia Pérez,' ‘Romería'
Alongside physical infrastructure, improving and augmenting the local workforce is a key pillar of French president Emmanuel Macron's France 2030 plan, his 30 billion euro ($34 billion) roadmap for investment and innovation.
'Top-tier technicians are the foundation of the entire French ecosystem,' says Arnaud Roland, who oversees the France 2030 project for the national film agency CNC. 'That's why professional training programs are integrated into every aspect of our modernization efforts. Our competitive edge goes beyond locations; it lies in the combination of diverse landscapes, modern infrastructure, and, most importantly, highly adaptable crews.'
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As France 2030 targets doubling the workforce in animation and VFX, public investment covers every stage of the creative process — from scriptwriting and costume design to construction and compositing. A recent beneficiary of this funding, the Paris film school La Fémis, will soon launch a new course teaching designers to blend traditional techniques with the LED-wall technologies required for virtual production.
Indeed, as recognition of French expertise reaches new heights — highlighted by the recent Oscar wins for the music of 'Emilia Pérez' and the makeup of 'The Substance' — reverence for local talent is keeping pace.
Hélène Louvart is one illustrative example.
After graduating from the prestigious Louis-Lumière film school, the cinematographer honed her eye shooting projects for Christophe Honoré, Agnès Varda and Sandrine Veysset. In 2011, after garnering local esteem and industry attention, Louvart stepped into the international spotlight following the one-two punch of Wim Wenders' 'Pina' and Alice Rohrwacher's 'Corpo Celeste,' setting the DP on a path that since spanned the globe.
Today, as an in-demand creative voice in contemporary American, Brazilian and Italian cinema — and DP behind Scarlett Johansson's 'Eleanor the Great' and Carla Simón's 'Romería,' both of which will premiere in Cannes — Louvart frequently travels with key hometown colleagues while advocating for the inclusion of French technicians.
'International teams appreciate our behavior as much as our expertise,' says Louvart. 'While working abroad, I've often heard French technicians praised for their pleasantness and decency. We're skilled professionals, of course, but we also know how to be polite and respectful — traits that make a big difference.'
'Directors often look for collaborators who can bring something new — a different culture and a different perspective,' Louvart continues. 'And the feeling is reciprocal; by mixing influences you create something unique.'
Visiting projects might also benefit from labor laws that ensure maximum agility, adds Studio de Paris president Brigitte Segal.
'Our crews aren't unionized, but there is a 60-hour weekly cap,' Segal says. 'That makes them far more flexible than in labor markets where unions restrict crew members to specific roles. And since there's no overtime, everything gets done efficiently within the standard workday.'
For director Coralie Fargeat, that flexibility was one of the most 'important and meaningful' reasons she chose to shoot 'The Substance' in France.
'It allowed for an extended shoot, with the ability to scale the crew based on the needs of each scene,' she says.
'For example, we could work with a smaller team for makeup effects, special effects, and extreme close-ups — elements that are central to my directing style and that take time to execute properly. At the same time, department heads had room to experiment. We tested countless techniques — like how to make backs open or how to project blood. That kind of creative freedom and time would've been hard to come by in a more rigid system.'
'I knew that the local technicians, their expertise, and above all their artisanal approach would give the film the level of quality and dedication it needed,' Fargeat continues. 'So I would encourage other filmmakers to aim high. French talent and technique no longer need to prove themselves — and working with new partners or filming in different countries can bring real depth and richness to a project.'
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