French and U.S. Indie Film Producers Discuss Financing Divide

Filmmakers behind 'The President's Cake,' 'The Little Sister' and 'Union County' talk about the differences between French public funding and U.S. private investment models.

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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French and American producers behind several acclaimed independent films, including Hasan Hadi's 'The President's Cake,' Hafsia Herzi's 'The Little Sister,' and Adam Meeks' 'Union County,' discussed the challenges of financing their projects at a panel during the Rendez-Vous with French Cinema festival. The producers highlighted the contrasts between France's government-backed film funding system and the more private investment-driven model in the U.S.

Why it matters

The discussion provided insights into the structural differences in how independent films are financed in France versus the United States, shedding light on the unique obstacles and opportunities faced by filmmakers in each country's industry. It underscored the importance of public funding for sustaining France's prolific filmmaking output, as well as the talent-driven nature of U.S. film financing.

The details

Julie Billy, producer of 'The Little Sister,' said the film struggled to secure funding from France's National Film Board (CNC) due to its subject matter around a young Muslim woman's sexuality. She had to turn to European partners like Germany's Arte to fully finance the €3.9 million project. Stephanie Roush, producer of 'Union County,' noted that U.S. financiers require major cast attachments to greenlight dramas. Leah Chen Baker, producer of 'The President's Cake,' embraced the film's unconventional elements like non-professional actors and shooting in Iraq to attract grants and institutional backing.

  • The panel discussion took place on Saturday at Film at the Lincoln Center as part of the Rendez-Vous with French Cinema festival.

The players

Julie Billy

Producer of the Cannes prizewinning film 'The Little Sister' and co-founder of the Paris-based production company June Films.

Stephanie Roush

Producer of the Sundance film 'Union County'.

Leah Chen Baker

Producer of the Iraqi Oscar entry 'The President's Cake'.

Hasan Hadi

Director of 'The President's Cake'.

Hafsia Herzi

Director of 'The Little Sister' and actress-turned-filmmaker.

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What they’re saying

“We fight a lot to preserve that system to finance French cinema — it was created after World War II and is now frequently attacked by conservative and far right parties because the first thing they attack is culture.”

— Julie Billy, Producer, 'The Little Sister' (Variety)

“The U.S. market is incredibly talent-driven. It's very hard to get financiers to pay attention without some cast attached.”

— Stephanie Roush, Producer, 'Union County' (Variety)

“I told people, 'It will be non-actors. It will be shot in Iraq. That's non-negotiable. We will have no completion bond. We need 100% control.”

— Leah Chen Baker, Producer, 'The President's Cake' (Variety)

What’s next

The producers discussed their upcoming projects, with Julie Billy reteaming with the directors of 'Gagarine' on 'Green Eyes' and preparing a film by Icelandic director Grímur Hákonarson. Stephanie Roush is developing a new feature with filmmaker Theda Hammel, while Leah Chen Baker will be working again with director Jamie Dack and Hasan Hadi on his next project 'The Leftover Ladies'.

The takeaway

The panel highlighted the significant structural differences in how independent films are financed in France versus the United States, with the French system relying heavily on public funding and the U.S. model being more driven by private investment and major talent attachments. These contrasting approaches shape the types of films that get made and the challenges filmmakers face in each country's industry.