The actress Juliette Binoche, signatory of the petition against the reference shareholder of Canal+, Vincent Bolloré, “regrets” that “the word ‘fascist'” was used in this text, which triggered a lively controversy in the cinema French, she declared to La Tribune Dimanche.
“I regret the boos in Cannes at the start of the screenings when the Canal+ logo appeared. I regret the word “fascist” in the petition, which was out of place. I regret the disproportionate reaction of the director of Canal+,” declared the artist, who made similar comments on Friday on France Culture.
Un « préjudice réputationnel » pour Canal+
After the publication of this column in mid-May at the start of the Cannes Film Festival, the chairman of the Canal+ board, Maxime Saada, declared that his group no longer wished to finance the films of the signatories. Comments that he said he “accept” on Friday during the group’s General Assembly.
“If someone rang your doorbell, called you a fascist and then asked you for money, maybe you wouldn’t give them money. We are going to do exactly the same,” he said, pointing out the “reputational damage” to Canal+, the leading financier of French cinema.
Besides Juliette Binoche, other celebrities were among the signatories, including actors and/or directors Swann Arlaud, Jean-Pascal Zadi and Robin Campillo, among anonymous people.
A “fascist takeover” mentioned
This column denounced “the growing influence of the extreme right” in cinema, targeting conservative billionaire Vincent Bolloré. “By leaving French cinema in the hands of an extreme right boss, we risk not only a standardization of films, but a taking of fascist control over the collective imagination,” this text accused.
According to Juliette Binoche, her signing of the platform “does not call into question the Canal+ teams who work for cinema”. “The Canal+ Cinéma teams are working hard to find a balance in the diversity of expression, they are doing a masterful job,” she insisted.
“What I don’t regret is the solidarity of the artists and technicians, this solidarity calmed the fear of the most anxious,” however assured the actress.
