UniFrance Elects New President

Director Jean-Paul Salome was elected president of UniFrance, the group announced in a in a statement today. The government funded organization is charged with promoting French film abroad.

our editor recommends

French Films Reach Record Box Office Revenue Abroad

France Home Video Sales Continue Decline

UniFrance’s 50-member board of directors elected Salome in a majority vote against producer Raphael Berdugo. Salome will take over from Antoine de Clermont-Tonnerre, who had held the position since 2009.

Most recently, Salome served his second two-year tenure as the president of the Authors, Directors and Producers Association (L’ARP), an artists’ guild that works to protect the interests of independent writers, directors and producers. As part of the position, Salome served as a commissioner within UniFrance. His election as president marks the first time a commissioner outside of the producers arm has been elected to the prestigious post.

L’ARP, now headed by Oscar-winner Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist), issued a statement congratulating Salome and thanking him for his service and and jokingly requesting “joint custody” of Salome so he can continue to work for them on weekends and school holidays.

Behind the camera, Salome is in post-production on the comedy Je Fais Le Mort (I’m Dead). His prior credits include the English language film The Chameleon starring Ellen Barkin, Famke Janssen, Emilie de Ravin and Nick Stahl (2009), Les Femmes de l’Ombre starring Sophie Marceau (2008) and Arsène Lupin with Kristin Scott Thomas and Eva Green (2004).

Salome will hold the post for two years.