Every year, four sessions are organised and 50 to 60 projects are supported.

The films submitted are examined by a committee of film professionals chaired by Prune Engler.

Since its creation in 2012, 587 films from 110 different countries have been supported, including

• Augure by Baloji
• Ma famille Afghane by Michaela Pavlatova
• Still the water by Naomi Kawase
• Cold War by Pawel Pawlikowski
• La Femme de Tchaïkovski by Kirill Serebrenikov
• Mustang by Deniz Gamze Ergüven
• As Bestas by Rodrigo Sorogoyen
• Onoda, 10 000 nuits dans la jungle by Arthur Harari
• The Lobster by Yórgos Lánthimos
• Le Bleu du Caftan by Maryam Touzani
• L’Extraordinaire voyage de Marona by Anca Damian

Launched on the initiative of the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, the CNC and the Institut français, in close consultation with cinema professionals, aid for world cinemas was presented to the competent authorities of the European Commission in autumn 2011 and authorised by the latter on 6 February 2012. This aid was instituted by decree no. 2012-543 of 23 April 2012, replaced by the agreement between the CNC, the Institut français and the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, which came into force on 1 June 2021.

Since July 2020, projects supported by the Aide aux cinémas du monde before completion, whose director is a national of an African-Caribbean or Pacific (ACP) country, and are co-produced by several ACP countries, are eligible for a financial bonus as part of the "DEENTAL-ACP" programme steered by the CNC, designed with the financial collaboration of the European Union and the support of the Organisation of ACP States.