2 weeks ago
The organizers of an unfastened missive raising nan siren complete Vincent Bolloré’s increasing power of France’s intermezo and media sectors person responded to comments by Canal+ CEO Maxime Saada that his group will nary longer activity pinch nan signatories.
“These intimidation strategies are emblematic of his group’s mostly shareholder, Vincent Bolloré,” nan missive organizers, gathered nether nan banner of Zapper Bolloré (Switch-Off Bolloré), said successful a connection sent to Deadline.
“Our unfastened letter, responding to nan UGC acquisition, only ever singled retired nan aforementioned without incriminating nan Canal+ teams. This threat, however, confirms our fears. Can we still judge successful Canal+’s independency from nan far-right billionaire, against whom it is now officially intolerable to speak out?,” it continued.
“The Zapper Bolloré corporate offers its unwavering support to each nan signatories of nan unfastened letter, calls connected labour unions to take sides them, and maintains its telephone to action much powerfully than ever.”
Launched connected nan opening nighttime of nan Cannes Film Festival, nan unfastened missive titled “Time To Switch-Off Bolloré” was signed by 600 cinema master including Juliette Binoche and Cannes 2026 Palme d’Or contenders Arthur Harari and Bertrand Mandico.
It took purpose astatine nan Canal+ Group’s caller acquisition of a 34% liking successful French production, distribution and accumulation awesome UGC, pinch an action to bargain it outright by 2028. The missive warned it marked a caller measurement “in Vincent Bolloré’s description strategy”, suggesting it was portion of a larger task to “push a right-wing, reactionary agenda” successful France.
Saada addressed nan missive astatine nan Canal+ Group’s yearly producers’ luncheon connected Sunday connected nan fringes of nan Cannes Film Festival.
“I knowledgeable this petition arsenic an injustice towards nan Canal teams who are committed to defending nan independency of Canal+, and successful each nan diverseness of its choices. And arsenic a result, I will nary longer work, I nary longer wish Canal+ to activity pinch nan group who signed this petition,” Saada, was quoted by French newswire AFP arsenic good arsenic waste and acquisition insubstantial Le Film Français arsenic having said successful a reside astatine nan lunch.
Saada referred to an question and reply successful Libération successful which Palme d’Or contender Harari explained his logic for singing nan unfastened letter, moreover though his films person been financed by Canal+ successful nan past, successful which he referred to Bolloré arsenic a “crypto-fascist”.
“If immoderate spell truthful acold arsenic to telephone Canal+ ‘crypto-fascist’, past I cannot work together to collaborate pinch them. That’s nan line. It is not acceptable that location is nary information for nan activity of our teams,” he said.
Canal+ was listed connected nan London Stock Exchange successful 2024, but nan Bolloré Group retains astir 30% of nan banal making it nan group’s biggest shareholder.
Vincent Bolloré officially stepped down arsenic chair and CEO of nan group successful 2022, but is believed by galore successful nan French media and intermezo worlds to still propulsion levers down nan scenes.
