The French National Film Board (CNC) and Unifrance on Tuesday offered a sobering assessment of France’s TV content exports in 2025, citing “a deteriorating economic environment and numerous uncertainties” that contributed to a sharp 21.6% drop in the international sales of French audiovisual programs to €164.3 million ($190.8 million) — the lowest level in a decade.
The report, presented at the Unifrance Rendez-Vous in Le Havre, noted the sharp contrast with the previous year, stressing that 2024 exports actually rose 3% year-on-year to reach €209.6 million — their second highest level in 30 years — “a year that had remained at an excellent level, with export activity proving resilient despite the international economic environment.”
In 2025, fiction remained the leading export genre with a 33.4% total share, making it the most exported genre for the fourth consecutive year. Nevertheless, it suffered a double-digit decline for the first time since 2018: €54.9 million in 2025, down 27% year-on-year. (In 2018, fiction fell 22.5%.)
Documentary overtook animation for the first time with 26.2% of international sales, above the past 10-year average of 21.2%. The sales decline for documentary fare was more moderate at just 2.7% to €43.1 million, close to the decade average of €41.1 million.
