Canal+ announced a five-year investment agreement with French cinema organizations committing nearly €1 billion to support French and European films between 2028 and 2032. The pay-TV company’s Chairman and CEO Maxime Saada characterized the deal as historic and reaffirmed the company’s role as a leading financial partner to the sector, citing its four-decade history of supporting French cinema.
The agreement represents a substantial increase compared to Canal+’s previous arrangement, which allocated €480 million across three years from 2025 to 2027. The new commitment also incorporates obligations stemming from OCS, a formerly competing pay-TV service that Canal+ acquired in 2023. Under the agreement, Canal+ will continue offering subscribers theatrical films six months following their initial release, maintaining the company’s position within France’s established media chronology framework.
Negotiations took place against a backdrop of broader discussions about France’s media chronology system, which establishes financial commitments by broadcasters in relation to their access windows for theatrical releases. Netflix and Prime Video have filed appeals with France’s Council of State seeking to challenge this longstanding model, arguing their investment levels warrant earlier access to films. The discussions also occurred during a period of tension between Canal+ Group and portions of the French film industry, including disputes centered on shareholder influence and industry relationships that escalated at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year.
During the negotiation period, Canal+ presented multiple films at Cannes and indicated plans to participate in upcoming international film festivals with additional titles, including a selection for Venice Film Festival’s opening night slot.
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