1 week ago
EXCLUSIVE: The Federation of Screenwriters successful Europe (FSE) has waded into nan statement complete Vincent Bolloré’s power of nan French intermezo and media sectors, sparked by nan ‘It’s Time To Switch-Off Bolloré’ missive launched connected nan opening of nan Cannes Film Festival.
“The 2026 Cannes Film Festival will beryllium remembered arsenic nan unintended shape of a objection of nan increasing threats to state of creation and look successful Europe,” said nan body, gathering 31 screenwriters organisations successful 27 European countries, representing 10,000 professionals.
Initially signed by immoderate 600 cinema professionals, including Juliette Binoche, Cannes 2026 Palme d’Or contenders Arthur Harari and Bertrand Mandico, nan missive took purpose astatine 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.
It warned nan acquisition marked a caller measurement “in Vincent Bolloré’s description strategy” and larger task to “push a right-wing, reactionary agenda” successful France. The tycoon’s Bolloré Group is pay-TV elephantine Canal+’s biggest shareholder pinch a 30% stake.
Canal+ CEO and Chair Maxime Saada sent a chill done nan manufacture this past play erstwhile he declared his group’s accepted producers luncheon successful Cannes that it would ne'er activity again pinch signatories of letter.
“The missive has a received a mixed consequence from French movie professionals. Many stock its concerns complete Bolloré’s increasing power of nan wider media and intermezo world and right-wing schedule but besides propose that, for now, location are nary signs of governmental interference successful Canal+’s cinema activities.
The FSA tackled nan differing views and besides challenged nan conception that for now Canal+ and its pan-European Studiocanal person not been touched by immoderate benignant of interference.
“Two master organisations of producers publically disavowed nan unfastened letter, worried astir nan consequences for their ongoing negotiations pinch nan financier. Finally, 2 days later, successful Cannes, nan president of nan financier publically announced that nan institution would nary longer activity pinch nan signatories of nan unfastened missive — moreover though, arsenic president, he embodies a ineligible entity designed to beryllium independent from its shareholders,” it said.
“Suggestions that nan concerns voiced by nan six 100 were premature aliases inappropriate were invalidated successful existent clip successful Cannes, by precisely those they were designating.”
The FSA pointed to 4 reported cases of editorial interference astatine Canal Plus. Among location is simply a 2022 study by Le Canard Enchainé that nan book for nan bid Paris Police 1900 was modified astatine nan petition of Vincent Bolloré because he did not o.k. of a storyline leaning into nan preamble of laïcité successful France pinch nan 1905 rule separating nan authorities and religion.
“Four cases successful which useful were affected by decisions attributed to nan aforesaid shareholder — successful their financing, their contented aliases their distribution — person since been documented,” said nan FSA.
“Amongst them is nan caller grounds of head Christophe Honoré, published successful nan mag Trois Couleurs, reporting statements straight attributed to nan aforesaid shareholder who personally intervened successful nan movie validation committees, starring to nan removal of 2 films from Canal+ main backing — 1 dealing pinch cheery characters, nan different pinch a waste and acquisition unionist struggle.”
Referring to its caller The Right to Write report, methodically documenting its akin cases successful Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Bulgaria, nan FSA said nan Vincent Bolloré lawsuit chimed pinch a increasing shape crossed Europe.
“Acquiring nan media and taste industries to intervene successful nan creation of their content. Dissenting voices are economically sanctioned while each request for stronger ineligible protection of creators is framed, done a rhetoric of disqualification, arsenic a liberty-killing aliases archaic relic of nan past,” it said.
“Under screen of civilized principles, these entities deploy purely discretionary decisions serving a targeted ideological agenda. Principles which they invoke only to contradict — specified arsenic editorial diversity.”
