Valérie Lépine Karnik

Valérie Lépine-Karnik is a key figure in the governance of cinema in France. Her career, marked by deep expertise in production and regulatory issues, has led her to the highest institutional positions. After serving as Deputy Director of Cinema at the CNC, where she oversaw the production and distribution sectors, she took the helm of Film France in 2014. In this role, she worked to enhance the attractiveness of French locations and promote domestic film shoots on the international stage.

In 2020, she became General Delegate of the UPC (Union des producteurs de cinéma), a position she held until 2025, vigorously defending producers' interests in a rapidly evolving audiovisual landscape. In 2026, true to her commitment to balance and ethics in the sector, she joined AMAPA as a mediator. An expert in the complex workings of the industry and cultural diplomacy, Valérie Lépine-Karnik now combines her strategic vision with a mission of conciliation, facilitating dialogue and dispute resolution within the audiovisual professions. Her name is synonymous with rigor, the protection of creative work, and the sustainability of the French cultural model.

For her residency at Rocabella, Valérie Lépine-Karnik carries an ambitious and meaningful project entitled 'Les Gardiennes de la Mer 2025/2026' (Guardians of the Sea). This project marks a meeting point between her industry expertise and a desire to highlight women's narratives linked to the marine environment and its protection. Drawing inspiration from the serenity and strength of the Riviera coastline, she dedicates this stay to the writing and structuring of a work—documentary or fictional—centered on women's engagement with the ecological challenges of the Mediterranean.

The exceptional setting of Rocabella, with its villas overlooking the vast blue expanse, provides the ideal sanctuary for this reflection. Valérie explores the dual themes of transmission and preservation. Drawing on her years of mediation and production management, she examines how cinema can become an advocacy tool for the protection of the seas. This project is not merely an aesthetic pursuit; it is a mission of protection: giving a voice to those who watch over the horizon. Between the Mediterranean gardens and the sea spray, 'Les Gardiennes de la Mer' emerges as a vibrant tribute to female agency and the resilience of a natural heritage that cinema must celebrate and defend.