France unveils IRIS program and Lumiere Alliance to safeguard independent film worldwide

During the Lumiere Summit held at the Fondation Maeght in Saint Paul de Vence, France launched the International Resilience Initiative for Independent Screens (IRIS), designed to protect, strengthen and connect the ecosystem of independent cinema, distribution and nonprofit networks worldwide. IRIS will provide emergency funding, expertise and international backing to entities facing isolation or threat, especially in vulnerable territories.

The summit also introduced the Lumiere Alliance, an open network for national film commissions and public bodies to meet twice a year—once around Cannes and once in a rotating host country—to act as a global safety net for the sector. More than thirty leading filmmakers, such as Richard Linklater, Jane Campion, Jafar Panahi and Tilda Swinton, joined the IRIS international council. The program also includes film-education initiatives aimed at cultivating future audiences for independent films.