French Cinema and Moving Image Code

The application for authorisation to develop a cinema is submitted either by the owner of the building or by a person who can prove that they have the right to build on the land or commercially exploit the building.

The application for authorisation must be accompanied by information and documents, the list of which is set by order of the Minister for Culture.

Applications for cinema development projects must be accompanied by the following information and documents: 1° The identity of the applicant: surname, first name and address if the applicant is a natural person or, if the applicant is a legal entity, name or company name, legal form, corporate purpose, address of registered office, registration number in the Trade and Companies Register or, failing this, a statement of the formalities of incorporation;…

Applicants may provide any additional information to support their application.

The application for authorisation is either sent to the Prefect by registered post with acknowledgement of receipt, or deposited with a receipt at the secretariat of the Commission Départementale d’Aménagement Cinématographique, or sent electronically. In the latter case, the electronic acknowledgement of receipt is sent without delay.

On receipt of the application, if the file is complete, the Prefect will inform the applicant of his registration number and the date by which he must be notified of the decision. Subject to the provisions of article R. 212-7-6, the investigation period runs from the date of discharge or acknowledgement of receipt or electronic acknowledgement of receipt as provided for in article R. 212-7-4. The letter from the Prefect…

If the application is incomplete, the Prefect, within fifteen days of receipt of the application, will invite the interested party, by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, to provide additional documentation. When all these documents have been provided, article R. 212-7-5 is applied and the investigation period begins on receipt of the last document to complete the file.