France to Host Lumière Summit, a Global Film Industry Conference, on Sept 7

On September 7, the French presidency will host the Lumière Summit in the medieval hill‑top village of Saint‑Paul‑de‑Vence. The one‑day event brings together about 150 leading figures from the global film industry, including CEOs, filmmakers, talent representatives and policymakers.

The summit is co‑chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron and South Korean President Lee Jae‑myung. Confirmed participants include Netflix co‑CEO Ted Sarandos, Disney Entertainment co‑chair Dana Walden, NBCUniversal chairman Donna Langley, Sony Pictures chairman Tom Rothman, as well as heads of major European studios, streaming platforms, film schools and independent cinema groups.

Organised by France’s National Center for Cinema (CNC) under the ministries of Culture and Foreign Affairs, the gathering will address challenges such as artificial intelligence, the rise of streaming services, financing models and the future of theatrical exhibition. Organisers say concrete announcements will be made, including the creation of an international NGO to protect independent cinema and incentives to repatriate productions to France.

Dubbed a “Davos of cinema,” the summit reflects the sector’s 40 % drop in theater attendance since 2019 and competition from platforms like TikTok and YouTube, prompting calls for new global governance of the film ecosystem.