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Vivendi
Le Monde
Culture Europe

UNPLUGGED: Global Cultures or French Exceptions?

Global cultural industries and domestic cultural traditions are almost inevitably set on a collision course. The latest example is the heated debate on France’s 'cultural exception' and the policy of the world’s second largest media group Vivendi Universal.

An Update by Rüdiger Wischenbart

“Le cinema français' is not only a popular cultural pastime but probably the most important medium for the continuous self-reflection of the French society. And even beyond this, the system of the 'French' movie industry is in fact the central hub for major parts of the European film market, and for movie makers from many developing countries as well. The newest productions of the Spaniard Pedro Almodovar, of the Egyptian Youssef Chahine or even many a Chinese or Latin American release rely in one way or another on partners within the French system. So who controls this French system holds a key position for the European – and even global - cultural diversity.

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