Slovenia and France signed an agreement on cooperation in film production in Brussels on May 19th. "In the future we can expect for example Isabelle Huppert to star in a Jan Cvitkovic film," Slovenian Culture Minister Majda Sirca illustrated the possibilities provided by the agreement.

According to her, the agreement, signed on the sidelines of a session of the EU Council for Education, Youth, Culture and Sport, brings new possibilities for cooperation between producers, while also enhancing cooperation in education and promoting information flow.

The criteria for co-production are clearly defined in the accord, Sirca said. Based on an agreement between producers, cooperation can vary from technical assistance to staff exchange and joining forces in authorship.

The minister said Slovenia and France shared "some extraordinary connections", which had been confirmed by today's agreement. "The signing [of the agreement] is very important, as it clearly defines conditions and ways of cooperation, which is crucial," she said.

Slovenian cinematography must open to other countries and the French cinematography likes to open doors to other productions, she explained.

French Culture and Communication Minister Frederic Mitterrand meanwhile said that under the new agreement films with 20% Slovenian funding would be eligible for all benefits that French films enjoy.

In turn, French film-makers will be able to film in the beautiful Slovenian landscape and France will get to know the country and its artists and their creativity better, he said.

Mitterrand praised Slovenia as an "exemplary" European country with "great potential in arts and culture" which is situated on a geographically important spot and opens the doors to the Balkans.

source : STA (Slovenian Press Agency)