Questioned during questions to the government, the Minister of Culture Catherine Pégard said she regretted the declaration of Maxime Saada, chairman of the board of directors of Canal+, on his wish to no longer work with the signatories of a forum denouncing “the influence of the extreme right” on cinema.
“Amid the concerns and criticisms of professionals, legitimate concerns, I would like reason and dialogue to prevail over threats“, she added.
According to the Zapper Bolloré collective, more than a thousand additional professionals have signed the platform since Maxime Saada’s exit. Today it has more than 2,000 signatories, including actor Swann Arlaud, actress Juliette Binoche and director Jean-Pascal Zadi.
“Our cultural industries must not be exploited for political purposes”, underlined the minister, also attacking the authors of the text. “We must not be the game of controversies which weaken our greatest successes by attacking week after week these different pillars accused of being at the service of political ideologies.
“Cinema needs Canal+ and Canal+ needs cinema”
Canal+, whose major shareholder is Vincent Bolloré, is an essential player in French cinema. In 2026, the group plans to inject 160 million euros into film production. He is also behind 49 films selected at Cannes, including 13 in competition (out of 22) this year.
The president of Arcom Martin Ajdari expressed the hope that the situation would calm down. “I think that there are still many actors who need to talk to each other, to calm down a little after the vivacity of the controversies”, a déclaré Martin Adjari.
“Cinema needs Canal+ and Canal+ needs cinema”he insisted. At the same time, the Society of Film Directors (SRF), which brings together 500 filmmakers, proposed mediation between the signatories of the platform and the Canal+ film teams.
The SRF, of which Cédric Klapisch is vice-president, says “solidarity” professionals “who freely express their opinions and legitimate concerns” and states “condemn any resulting exclusion”.
But she also admits that Canal+has always ensured the freedom and independence of creation” and forms the wish “may it be the same in the years to come.”
“Blacklist”
Monday, the possibility of a “blacklist” of professionals drawn up by the first financier of French cinema, has been widely commented on.
“You can’t be afraid of losing your job just because you express collective concern”, declared actress Adèle Exarchopoulos, whose film “Garance” is in the running for the Palme d’Or.
Alain Attal, producer of numerous films including “L’Amour ouf” or “Le Chant du Loup”, deplored “un formidable gâchis”. “This hot reaction creates a kind of blacklist and at the same time, we’re pissed off because we have a fantastic house (Canal+) which supports diversity.”
Before Maxime Saada’s statement, the column published last Tuesday, the opening day of the Cannes festival, had met with a weak response, with most of the professionals questioned struggling to detect an ideological shift at Canal+.
