The British Film Institute (BFI) and France’s Centre National du Cinéma et de l’Image Animée (CNC) are joining forces. The two orgs, which support the screen industries in their respective countries, signed an agreement earlier today to help “establish a policy of strategic co-operation”.

Poised to strengthen ties between the British and French motion picture industries, the agreement pushes for more expansive public policies to support the audiovisual sectors. The orgs are planning events to encourage more co-production between the two nations and measures like an employee exchange program, and they pledged to seek out ways to bring more French audiences to UK films and vice versa.

It could prove to be a mutually beneficial agreement for both countries, especially in the years following Brexit, which has made strategic collaboration with the UK tricky for European countries—although the kids industry is very keen to keep the UK involved in EU partnership accelerators like Cartoon Forum.

This new pact also builds on an existing relationship between the BFI and the CNC. The two orgs have worked together to set up three editions of a “New Waves” co-production meeting series between French and UK producers, the third of which took place last October.

The UK government’s British Film Commission and France’s film commission, Film France CNC, also signed a memorandum of understanding today. The two commissions are seeking to “foster a seamless, film-friendly service” for foreign film productions and high-end TV across both the UK and France. Recent projects that completed filming or post-production work in both regions include last year’s Netflix fantasy film Damsel and the second season of Rings of Power on Prime Video.

Featured image: BFI (CNC’s president Gaëtan Bruel with BFI CEO Ben Roberts)