Montreal: The Quebec government has confirmed its spring budget promise to invest $15 million in film and audiovisual production.

Culture and Communications Minister Line Beauchamp unveiled her program Sept. 5, following consultations with the industry this summer.

The plan establishes six objectives: stimulate creativity; encourage French-language production; encourage diversity and accessibility; promote heritage conservation; boost film education; and encourage industry consolidation.

In brief, the plan sets aside $3 million for screenwriting and development, $8.5 million for the production of French-language feature films and $1.1 million for access and diversity programs, including the production of copies of films destined for schools and an Internet portal dedicated to film culture. In addition, some funding is being set aside for film and TV preservation.

The plan says the primary goal for the industry should be an increase in the diversity and competitiveness of Quebec productions. It says funding agency SODEC should work to increase budgets for French-language feature films and auteur documentaries, as well as short films and media artwork.

In a prepared statement, the APFTQ producers association responded cautiously, but positively, to the Beauchamp plan, thanking the minister for taking into account previous industry consultations with government.

APFTQ chairman Jacquelin Bouchard offered qualified support for the Beauchamp plan, saying it has to be accompanied by important modifications to the Quebec production tax-credit program.

The Liberal government’s spring budget reduced the content credit by 12.5%, a decision expected to reduce the program’s cost by $21 million.

The minister’s plan makes the following observations:

* since 1991, the annual volume of production of Quebec feature films has increased from 18 to 34

* admissions to movie theaters in the same period increased 166%

* the annual volume of production of Quebec features shot in English doubled in the period 1992 to 1998

* the average budget for an English-language Quebec film increased 80% over the 1990s, while in the same period, the average budget of films shot in French decreased by 12%

* the number of films released theatrically has decreased from an average of 530 a year during the 1970s to 330 a year in the 1990s.

-www.mcc.gouv.qc.ca