After a difficult 2005, the association's accounts show a surplus of € 2,896 in 2006. 1,686 memberships, which is more than the previous year (+12%) despite a festival shortened by one day. In terms of admissions, we recorded a drop in the overall figure (5,656, or 11%) because the number of sessions decreased, while the attendance at each session was higher (record broken on Saturday at 8 p.m. with 922 entries for Loving Annabelle). The average per screening was 396 tickets to the Trianon and 64 to the Halle Saint-Pierre, excluding debates (respectively 243 and 51 in 2005). On average, the members therefore saw fewer films each (3.4 against 4.2 in 2005). 201 of them used pre-sales and 175 chose the pass which allowed them to see 10.5 screenings on average.
78 films were screened from 16 countries including 10 French-speaking films and 11 feature films over 60 minutes.
The most attractive sessions first concerned fictional feature films: Loving Annabelle, the opening with the concert by Nawal and the screening of The Journey, Sévigné, Both but also the session of shorts L'amour dans tous ses états. At the Halle Saint-Pierre, the room was packed for South African short films, the second screening of The Journey and Unveiled. About twenty women directors came to present their films and meet the festival-goers.
As in previous years, all films in foreign languages were subtitled by volunteer translators and 2006 saw the development of the reception of deaf and hard of hearing women with the subtitling of French-speaking films and the presence of interpreters in sign language for the presentation of sessions. This effort was not always well understood and incongruous laughter sometimes erupted from the spectators hearing when reading the subtitles specific to films in French.
The 18th festival opened its doors wide to visual artists, with two exhibitions. The first presented the works of ten artists (painting, engraving, photo, sculpture and composite creations) distributed between the mezzanine space and the winter garden (guest of honor Yeva) while other places of the festival (cafeteria, space stands, toilets) were taken over by 11 international artists as part of the F-Space concept. Avant-garde works, sometimes provocative, which challenged the audience in order to nourish informal discussions and enrich the "Contemporary Women Artists" debate. At the end of the Sunday afternoon slam workshop, led by the Slam Ô féminin collective, the participants performed at the opening of the closing session.
From a financial point of view, the increase in revenues resulting from better attendance is accompanied by a decrease in expenses resulting from the combined effects of the shorter duration of the festival and the savings efforts made by all the commissions.The organization of the festival over 3 days and one evening made it possible to reduce the expenditure devoted to the venue (-7%), despite the relative increase in the rental cost of the Trianon (same price for one day less) and technical equipment (+9%). The most significant savings were made in programming (-40%), after a very strong increase in 2005. This year, the choice was made not to present films in 35mm copy, which made it possible to save on transportation costs. Catalog printing expenses were also reduced (-15%) due to a better estimate of the printing required. Communication costs also decreased (-18%) due to the greater use of dematerialized tools (messaging and internet). The remarkable work of the volunteers of the catering committee, added to the increasing attendance, made it possible to significantly increase the profit of the cafeteria, while maintaining very reasonable selling prices.
A dance party has once again be organized at La Loco in 2006 but its result (299 entries) proved insufficient to balance the budget committed. The probable explanation is its organization on Friday evening, corresponding to the opening of the festival. The three parties at the Tango on March 26, June 11 and November 26 remain profitable, with ever more success and an image now firmly established. The Best of Mixte festival advanced to May is in deficit for the fourth consecutive year. Despite the drop in rental costs for video equipment and the organization of a special night for its tenth anniversary ("Gouine Night is Falling"), the BOM did not gather enough spectators (488 entries, or - 4.7%) to make film rental and delivery costs profitable. The rapid release of fictional feature films on DVD makes it difficult to select premium films for this event.
Functioning costs, excluding the impact of previous years, remain stable. The subsidy granted by the city of Paris (10,000 euros, as in 2005) was allocated to clearing the previous deficit, maintaining low prices for entrance tickets to sessions, to distributing the catalog free to members, to pay for the membership of the women directors present and to various small equipment.
The success of the 18th festival contributes to restoring the financial equilibrium of the association, despite the disappointing attendance at the Best Of Mixed in May. This result is the bearer of a positive dynamic within the team, which was largely renewed in 2006. However, the announced increase in the rental price of the Trianon theater leads us to remain vigilant with regard to cost control.
The year 2007 will be marked by the return to the traditional duration of the Quand les lesbiennes se font du cinéma festival (from October 31 to November 4, 2007) and by the abandonment of the Best Of Mixed festival, in favor of events co-organized with associative partners. Continued efforts in terms of communication remain necessary to ensure the sustainability of the events organized by the association, as well as the strengthening of the catering committee. Once again this year, we renewed our request for a subsidy from the Paris City Hall in order to keep prices accessible despite cost increases.
