FIAD General Assembly convenes Cannes 2025

The Film Distributors’ Association (FDA) represents the interests of film distributors in the UK and Ireland. Its membership ranges from Hollywood studios to independent operators and is responsible for 99% of all films released theatrically in the territory.

FIAD (The International Federation of Film Distributors’ and Publishers’ Associations) members gathered from across Europe during the 78th Cannes Film Festival to review the organisation’s 2024 advocacy achievements and outline its key priorities for the coming year.  

During the General Assembly, members endorsed the details of FIAD’s 2025 Action Plan. Highlights include continued political engagement in Brussels with regard to effectively promoting theatrical distribution; firm defence of the film sector’s exemption from geo-blocking regulations; active support for the Creative Europe MEDIA programme; and reinvigorated focus on anti-piracy enforcement, copyright protection and market diversity.

The global theatrical sector saw a slight decline in cinema admissions in 2024 to 4.8bn (-9% vs. 2023), with average sales reaching 68% of 2019 (pre-pandemic) levels. Europe outstripped this average, achieving 75% of pre-pandemic business levels across the year. European national films accounted for a third of the continent’s overall admissions, its strongest showing in four years, highlighting the theatrical sector’s resilience as the key predictor of a film’s downstream success.

Across the festival, discussions took place around the traditional view of theatrical sector success – defined by box office/admissions – with a call for a more nuanced and holistic approach, encompassing cultural impact, international reach and audience engagement. Distribution was earmarked as an engine for sustaining cultural diversity, with a concerted focus on cross-border success, co-productions and upskilling schemes, vital to the sector’s survival and growth.

Further information on the General Assembly can found on the FIAD website along with a list of member associations and the organisation’s most recent operating manifesto.