November 2, 2022
On November 2, the Franco-American Cultural Fund (FACF) honored former DGA National Executive Director Jay D. Roth with the SACEM (Société des Auteurs, Compositeurs et Éditeurs de Musique) Award and TAFFF (The American French Film Festival) Award. Presented in Paris at the FACF Board and TAFFF awards ceremony, the awards were in recognition of Roth’s lifetime of work dedicated to cinema, and his vision in helping to create the FACF.
During the presentation, SACEM CEO and FACF President Cécile Rap-Veber said, “In 1995, a small group of visionaries founded the FACF. The idea was that the two countries whom invented cinema had a common responsibility in protecting and promoting the filmmakers, and, to be more specific, to allow American writers and directors to benefit from the compensation for private copies made of their films. Jay Roth played a major role. In his words, ‘While cultures have nationalities, artists and their art should not. Art is shared across borders and the FACF was born of this vision.’
Jay, you have dedicated your life to cinema and those who make it. As National Executive Director of the DGA for 22 years, you were part of the major changes experienced by the film and the entertainment industry. You were at their side, with a single goal in mind: to protect creators which is a common goal with SACEM. Thanks to you, the Fund has developed multiple initiatives, amongst which the TAFFF, which is today the most important French film festival outside France. Through you tonight, we are celebrating the Franco American friendship between our two countries and, although you are to retire at the end of this month, don’t get to distracted because needless to say that we do count on you to remain involved in the Fund for the next 25 years.”
Roth was previously honored by former French President Nicolas Sarkozy with the Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Legion d’Honneur, otherwise known as the French Legion of Honor, the highest decoration in France.
- See the related items for photos and coverage from past American French Film Festivals