Section 6: Access to the cinema

Any operator of a cinematographic entertainment establishment who intends to set up a formula for access to the cinema giving the right to multiple admissions in a number not defined in advance must request prior approval from the President of the Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée. Substantial modification of the package is also subject to prior approval. Approval is granted if the conditions set out in articles…

In order to grant the authorisation provided for in article L. 212-27, the President of the Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée must ensure, on the basis of measurable economic data, in particular that provided by the exhibitor with its application, that a reference price per seat is set, taking into account changes in the average price of single tickets sold by the exhibitor, the situation of the…

Any cinema exhibitor who joins an approved access formula is subject to the conditions of the approval. Any exhibitor who does not benefit from the guarantee provided for in article L. 212-30 is obliged to apply, in the contracts for the granting of cinematographic representation rights that he concludes, the reference price applied by the exhibitor who holds the approval in application of article L. 212-28.

When requesting the approval of an access formula in application of article L. 212-27, any cinema exhibitor who achieves more than 25% of admissions or takings in a given catchment area or more than 3% of takings at national level must offer exhibitors in the same catchment area whose market share represents less than 25% of admissions or takings in the area in question, with the exception of those achieving…

A decree of the Conseil d’Etat, issued after consultation with the Autorité de la concurrence, specifies the terms of the association contract provided for by articles L. 212-29 and L. 212-30. This contract may not contain any clause relating to the programming of the associated exhibitors’ cinemas, nor any clause relating to exclusive membership of an access formula.