CFI is gradually repositioning its activities to meet its partners’ needs as closely as possible, while leading French audiovisual cooperation for countries in the South. This new issue of Focus will be taking a look at some of the high points of the past months which are fitting illustrations of the priorities and issues underpinning the training courses which we are constantly adapting to our partners’ needs.

In Africa, CFI supports the production and circulation of African works, furthering the organisational initiatives instigated by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Work geared around content, channels and programme schedules is a daily priority illustrated, at the latest FESPACO festival, in the round table, the leading of which CFI entrusted to Catherine Tasca.

Elsewhere, the image of French expertise is appreciated by partners who hope to foster professionalism among their young members of staff in order to face ever more diverse competition. The regional workshops are an effective means to present French methodology, explain the main issues underpinning a theme and envisage bilateral schemes with certain participants. The seminar in Bangkok was a very rich example in that it opened up possibilities with some operators who had not yet worked regularly with CFI.

CFI organises its training courses in its partners’ premises to leverage the involvement of staff and experience actual working conditions at the channel. There are exceptions to all best practices: CFI has just organised a workshop on football commentary that would have been impossible to set up in the participants’ countries. Thanks to efforts by the French Professional Football League (LFP) and Canal+, this workshop took on a pan-African dimension, sparking an ambitious selection and training project due to last through to June 2010, with the first-ever FIFA World Cup on African soil.

You’ll be able to check out these highlights in Focus, and find out more about CFI’s assignments on our Website: www.cfi.fr