France's export body, Unifrance, is getting closer to naming a new president following the sudden death of longtime president Daniel Toscan du Plantier in February.

On Wednesday, three new producers were added to the board of directors of Unifrance to replace the deceased Toscan du Plantier and Christine Gouze-Renal. Also replaced was Denis Freyd who had resigned his post. Taking their places are Margaret Menegoz, Humbert Balsan and Michel Propper.

The other three producers now sitting on the board along with the three newly elected producers cited above are: Philippe Carcassonne, Jean-Claude Fleury and Marie Masmonteil.

In adhering to the Unifrance charter, one of these six people will be nominated as president of the association sometime following the Cannes Film Festival.

Much speculation has swirled around who Toscan's successor would be. Many believed that former Canal Plus chairman Pierre Lescure was a highly potential candidate. In a press release yesterday, however, Unifrance quelled those rumours by stipulating that the president will be chosen from among the six producers on the board.