Cinémoi : Film promoters with star quality

Cinémoi is bringing French films to the wider public. Its CEO and founder, Oliver Bengough, tells INFO how he spotted a gap in the market. Since its launch, Cinémoi has gone from strengh to strengh.

French films are loved and respected around the world. Their stars are easily as great and popular as those from Hollywood. But whereas American films are widely viewed on television and have numerous TV channels dedicated to showing them, the French film is barely visible. This gap was spotted by Oliver Bengough, a London businessman, and he has set about correcting it.

The result has been the launch of the Cinémoi television channel on Sky to great acclaim. Cinémoi is dedicated to showing exclusively French films and news about the French film market. The success of the launch of the channel has been recognised by the French Chamber of Commerce, which awarded Cinémoi its Annual Intercultural Trophy at its Gala dinner (see picture).

The channel’s early authority was assured by the appointment of one of the world’s connoisseurs of French cinema as its director and artistic supremo. Julien Planté, who’s 31, has been instrumental in selecting films for display on Cinémoi, and for making contacts with the industry’s key powerhouses in Paris, Cannes, Geneva and California.

Julien was a well-respected programmer for the French Institute and had attained a leading position in the British foreign film community. He explains how he made progress at the Institute. ‘My job there was to choose all the themes, organise all the events and festivals. I transformed this cinema and made it one of the main art house cinemas in London, with a programme of not just French films but European cinema. I welcomed famous directors and actors including Jude Law and the director Abbas Kiarostami (the Iranian director of a Taste of Cherry and other films). At some point in mid July 2008 I met Olly (Oliver Bengough’s universal nickname) and one month later Cinémoi : Film promoters with star quality Cinémoi is bringing French films to the wider public. Its CEO and founder, Oliver Bengough, tells INFO how he spotted a gap in the market. Since its launch, Cinémoi has gone from strengh to strengh. I was part of his team.’

Olly, who’s 34, remembers when Julien brought him the idea. ‘Julien had this amazing vision of how to bring back French film. He came to me and said, “Olly, I want to buy these 250 films. And these are the reasons why I want to buy them. I want to do this type of films, involving such and such an actor.’

The idea landed on fertile ground as Olly was also a lover of French film. Just as importantly, Olly had a commercial vision. He had built up a very successful group of bars and music venues in London. The latest addition to his company, called Mint Group, was Koko, a Camden-based venue which has attracted some leading music stars including Madonna and Coldplay. Upmarket customers have been attracted to the venue by some sophisticated branding and marketing.These skills would be lavished on Cinémoi when it was launched in 2009.[...]

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Cinemoi

Un article issu de INFO Magazine,
january / february 2010
une publication de la Chambre de commerce et d’industrie française en Grande Bretagne

Hannah Meloul, Editorial Assistant, INFO Magazine
Tel : +44 207 092 66 48
Site : www.ccfgb.co.uk - @ : hmeloul@ccfgb.co.uk