VENDARGUES

FERUARY 10, 2026

Madam Prefect of Hérault, dear Chantal Mauchet,
Madam Vice President of the Occitanie Region, dear Claudie Faucon Méjan,
Mr President of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole, dear Michaël Delafosse,
Mr Mayor of Vendargues, dear Guy Lauret,
Madam President of France Télévisions, dear Delphine Ernotte Cunci,
Mr President of Proudreed, dear Christophe Le Corre,
Ladies and Gentlemen, dear friends,

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It is a great pleasure for me to return here, one year and three months after the laying of the foundation stone, symbolized at the time by the planting of a palm tree, to inaugurate the brand new premises of V Studios.

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Vendargues, or Vendargwood as you like to call it, is where commitments are honored.

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In November 2024, this was an empty field. One year and three months later, we are inaugurating the very first studio to be fully completed under the Grande Fabrique de l Image initiative. Congratulations to all of you for this remarkable achievement.

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Today’s inauguration carries a triple symbolism: the effectiveness of public service, the crucial importance of cultural sovereignty, and the extraordinary dynamism of the Montpellier metropolitan area in the field of Cultural and Creative Industries, the well known CCIs.

This inauguration first demonstrates the efficiency of public service. No other studio project supported by the Grande Fabrique de l Image under France 2030 has progressed as rapidly. We have already disbursed 85 percent of our 6 million euro grant in light of the project’s pace. None of the ten studio laureates selected through our call for projects has moved faster.

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This is an opportunity to reaffirm our strong commitment to public broadcasting, a vital democratic and social pillar of advanced nations, and to commend the constant dedication and unwavering dynamism of its teams.

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A reference media that seeks not to divide but to unite, not to inflame but to inform, not to feed resentment but to nurture critical thinking and provide citizens with the tools to exercise sound judgment. In short, a media that deliberately chooses to view the world through a wide lens.

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Thank you and congratulations for your daily commitment. Special recognition goes to the teams at V Studios under the decisive leadership of Laurence Schwob. As Thomas Edison once said, vision without execution is hallucination. Congratulations for your remarkable energy and your ability to deliver on time.

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This inauguration also highlights the importance of cultural sovereignty.

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Winter is coming, American soft power warned us prophetically a few years ago. Winter is coming, American hard power seems to echo more recently. In a world marked by instability, where yesterday’s benevolent allies are no longer entirely allies nor entirely benevolent, the idea that we must remain masters of our narratives, that imagination is central to national sovereignty, has never been more relevant. This conviction has been embedded in France 2030 from the outset. It is embodied daily by public broadcasting.

It is also reflected in the idea that, in challenging times, we must hunt as a pack, as our Secretary General Bruno Bonnell puts it, work collectively and think as Team France for the CCIs.

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When France stands united, when French CCIs come together as we saw during the 2024 Olympic ceremonies, we captivate the world.

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Today’s inauguration also confirms the extraordinary vitality of the Cultural and Creative Industries in Montpellier and Occitanie. Montpellier has recently been recognized as a center of excellence in creative production in France and internationally, from the success of Clair Obscur Expedition 33 by Sandfall Interactive, conceived by Montpellier based talent, to the global success of Illogic Studios’ viral campaign at the end of last year.

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An excellence hub is emerging before our eyes and I would like to commend the vision of the local authorities, united from the municipal to the regional level, in strengthening it. Ladies and Gentlemen elected officials, you have understood that Culture is a powerful driver of territorial and economic development. Thank you for this. May this political alignment serve as an example across France.

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Within France 2030, the General Secretariat for Investment at the Prime Minister’s Office pursues two central ambitions: first, to support the development of our territories across France, and second, to accelerate the transformation of our national champions to prepare for the world of tomorrow.

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France 2030 represents 54 billion euros to prepare France for future challenges, including 1 billion euros specifically dedicated to Culture, an unprecedented state investment unmatched globally.

The Culture pillar of France 2030 is structured around two main instruments: a strategy to accelerate Cultural and Creative Industries through innovation across all segments, and the Culture objective of France 2030 aimed at positioning France at the forefront of tomorrow’s cultural content production, preserving creative freedom, asserting sovereignty and diversity, and fostering the next generation of cultural champions.

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We act in cinema, audiovisual and video games through the Grande Fabrique de l Image, and also in immersive cultural experiences.

Why integrate Culture into France 2030?

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Beyond its essential role in our personal lives, in beauty, sensitivity and even mental health, Culture holds strategic importance for our society, with strong implications for social cohesion, territorial balance and representation of societal transformations.

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Culture is also a major economic force.

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According to recent data from We Are Creative, EY and the Ministry of Culture, the sector’s economic weight is often underestimated.

Culture represents 586,000 direct jobs in France and 1.1 million including indirect jobs, more than the automotive, aerospace and pharmaceutical industries combined.

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Culture generates 103 billion euros in revenue and 43 billion euros in added value in 2024, representing 2.9 percent of GDP, equivalent to the agri food industry and restaurants, and double the contribution of aerospace, pharmaceuticals or automotive.

The sector has grown by 21 percent over the past five years despite the pandemic. It is outward looking, with 17 percent of revenue generated from exports and 30 percent in the music industry.

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The factories of the future are here before us. They are dream factories. And in this field, France is not catching up. We are among the global leaders.

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For all these reasons, France 2030 chose to invest in Culture.

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In four years, we have launched around thirty programs, received over 1,700 applications and selected more than 700 laureates across 16 regions, including four overseas territories. Half are located outside the Paris region.

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The Grande Fabrique de l Image is the flagship initiative supporting cinema.

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Our ambition is to double filming capacity in France and double the number of trained professionals in image and sound, with a particular focus on broadening recruitment pools.

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We are on track to achieve this. An additional 65,000 square meters of studios and 330,000 square meters of backlots will be built in the coming years. These investments will generate employment and growth, as every euro invested in filming generates 7.60 euros in local economic impact.

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In Occitanie alone, we support 11 projects, two studios, four digital studios and five training initiatives, totaling 52 million euros, making the region the second largest beneficiary after Ile de France.

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My thanks go to all those working behind the scenes to deploy the plan so efficiently, the teams at Banque des Territoires within the Caisse des Dépôts Group, and the CNC teams with whom we work closely.

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We are now entering a phase of rigorous monitoring and evaluation.

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Significant public funding is mobilized. We must therefore ensure accountability, especially in times of budgetary constraint. The tangible impact of supported projects, notably on employment and ecological performance, will be carefully assessed, and rightly so.

Allow me to conclude.

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Congratulations once again to all of you.

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Fair winds and great success to V STUDIOS.

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France 2030 is proud and honored to support your development.

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Thank you.

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Fabrice Casadebaig

Cultural Advisor