On the occasion of the 78th Cannes Film Festival, the Centre National du Cinéma et de l’Image Animée (CNC) announced the upcoming launch of an ambitious new initiative: the Prime RSE+. This flat-rate grant of €28,000 aims to encourage producers of live-action fiction to implement sustainable and responsible production practices.
The Centre National du Cinéma et de l’Image Animée (CNC) is the French public institution that supports and regulates the audiovisual sector. In recent years, the CNC has taken a leading role in promoting sustainable practices. Through its “Plan Action!” initiative, the CNC encourages environmentally responsible filmmaking by offering financial incentives, publishing green production guidelines, and supporting training programs. Its goal is to help the industry transition toward greener practices while maintaining creative freedom and economic viability.
Official recognition of efforts toward ecological transition
This measure, unprecedented in France, is part of the continuation of the Plan Action!—the ecological transition plan for the audiovisual sector launched in 2022 by the CNC. It also responds to a request from the Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati. It will be presented to the CNC Board of Directors in June 2025, for implementation starting in 2026 over a three-year period.
The prime RSE+ will be automatically granted to projects that comply with the Level 2 commitments of the AFNOR SPEC framework for responsible production. Eligibility will be verified by an independent certification body, ensuring the reliability of the process.
The AFNOR SPEC framework is a French voluntary standard developed by the national standardization body AFNOR in collaboration with industry stakeholders, including Ecoprod. It provides a common framework for measuring and reducing the environmental impact of audiovisual productions. Covering all stages of production—from development to post-production—it offers practical guidelines and indicators to help professionals implement greener practices. Developed in collaboration with more than 130 industry professionals, the AFNOR SPEC now serves as the national reference framework for more sustainable production practices—both environmentally and socially. It represents a major step forward in structuring and harmonizing CSR efforts in the audiovisual and film industries.
Ecoprod welcomes this announcement, which marks strong institutional recognition of the importance of ecological transition within production professions. Ecoprod is committed to supporting professionals in adopting the AFNOR SPEC framework and aligning their practices accordingly, through its tools, Label, training programs, and resources. Special attention will be given to assisting Ecoprod member productions to ensure they are well positioned to benefit from this bonus.
With the prime RSE+, ecological transition becomes a genuine opportunity for productions: a tangible form of support to enhance initiatives already underway or in the process of being developed.
2026 starts now. Let’s not wait to shift toward more responsible production—transition is taking shape, and it now comes with real support.
