David Lisnard: “An ambitious cultural policy should not be a blank check given to a microcosm”

David Lisnard is mayor of Cannes and president of Nouvelle Énergie.

I’m a culture freak. I love cinema, theater, books, dance, music. The film festival in my city introduced me to films from all over the world which have often captivated me, always enriched me. I like to talk about it with those close to me, to discuss, to debate, to argue about a director, an author, a composer, to retrace a filmography, a discography, to discuss the comparative merits of an author’s works. I no longer count the hours spent in this activity which always ended for me by plunging back into a work that I had misunderstood or misinterpreted.

However, this is of no importance and does not interest anyone. So much the better. This “I” annoys you and you are right. The role of a political leader in cultural matters is neither to display nor impose his tastes. Everyone makes fun of the fact that I’m a fan of Houellebecq, the Clash, Kubrick, Molière or Pina…