CANAL+ and BETC Dance the Tango of Filmmaking Collaboration
As the leading partner of the film industry in France, CANAL+ has unveiled ‘Tango’, its first multi-territory brand campaign entirely dedicated to cinema. Conceived by long-time creative partner BETC Paris, the campaign uses the allegory of a magnetic dance to drive home the brand’s new message: ’A great film is never made alone.’
While the brand is historically known for its comedic blockbusters like ‘The Bear’ or ‘The Closet’, its recent creative output has been equally formidable. The 2022 campaign ‘Papa’ took home an Immortal Award in 2023, while ‘Super’ received a Commendation last year. However, ‘Tango’ strikes a more intense, emotional chord than its predecessors. “It is completely different regarding what we did before... but it’s an important moment for this industry,” Stéphane Xiberras, president and chief creative officer at BETC, tells LBB.
“It’s a love story,” Stéphane continues. He explains that the serious tone is a necessary reflection of the current moment in the entertainment industry, where streaming giants battle over catalogues and IP. “Netflix buying Warner Bros... No! It's Paramount,” Stéphane narrates the recent drama in the entertainment business. “But Donald Trump doesn't want to do that... It's like a cultural fight for catalogues and IP.”
Amidst the noise of the streaming wars, the campaign reminds the industry of CANAL+ and StudioCanal's tangible impact. The studio spends nearly €200 million on cinema funding annually. Last year alone, it financed over 120 films often just based on the script—including 30% from novice directors.
This investment has fuelled global hits ranging from 'Paddington' and 'Love Actually' to 'Mulholland Drive' to 'Heretic'. To date, the studio has financed 70 Oscar winners and 18 Palme d’Or winners at Cannes.
A Tribute to Craft
Directed by Pierre Dupaquier of the duo We Are From LA – particularly known for Pharrell Williams’ ‘Happy’ music video – the film features two dancers locked in an intense embrace within an empty hangar. In a deliberate counter-movement to the rise of AI and algorithmic content, the production eschewed green screens and CGI in favour of analogue filmmaking. The campaign was shot entirely on 35mm film by acclaimed cinematographer Mathias Boucard.
“We did it very old fashioned... it's a kind of tribute to cinema,” says Stéphane. “It's like trying to make a moment of cinema... very simple.”
The Metaphor of the Dance
The tango was chosen to represent the complex bond between a studio like CANAL+ and a filmmaker – or indeed, an agency and a client who have worked together for 30 years. The dance serves as a metaphor for the trust and friction required to produce great art.
“It’s all about the process of creating something, trying to create something with ups and downs,” Stéphane says. “It’s a little bit chaotic; that’s why we decided to have a tango, because tango sometimes is super violent.”
He adds that in the current climate, producing original work is a gamble that requires partnership. “Doing a film is like taking risks. It takes two to take risks, takes two to build something.”
A Massive Rollout
The campaign will benefit from a broad media rollout, expected to reach 168 million contacts in mainland France and achieve over 90% overall coverage. It will be broadcast on TV in a 45-second format from December 14th to 31st, with 30- and 60-second cuts running digitally from December 15th.
Crucially for a campaign celebrating the artform of moving image, the full 90-second version will be screened in cinemas from December 17th to January 6th, 2026. The campaign will also air in France’s overseas departments, as well as in Switzerland and Poland, starting at the end of December.
For Stéphane, the theatrical release is vital to the campaign's integrity, ensuring the work is seen as a true cinematic piece rather than just content for a mobile screen.
