French film industry at risk from the far right, say actors and directors

"More than 600 cinema figures have said the growing influence of the far right on French cinema production risked turning into a fascist takeover of the collective imagination. In an open letter published in the newspaper Liberation to coincide with the opening of the Cannes film festival, they said the billionaire Vincent Bollore's dominant position in French film production and distribution threatened the independence of the industry."

"By leaving French cinema in the hands of a far-right owner, we risk not only the standardisation of films, but a fascist takeover of the collective imagination. Juliette Binoche was among the 600 signatories of the open letter to the newspaper Liberation."

"Bollore, a conservative industrialist, has a powerful media empire, including the channel CNews, the radio station Europe 1 and the Sunday paper Le Journal du Dimanche, and is close to figures on the far right. Politicians on the left have attacked CNews for giving a platform to reactionary voices they say have aided the rise of the far right."

"The Paris prosecutor's office last month opened a legal investigation into racist comments on the channel against the mayor of Saint-Denis, Bally Bagayoko. The channel denied racism. Bollore's powerful role in the French cultural world is sparking revolt among creatives ahead of next year's French presidential election."

More than 600 cinema figures warned that far-right influence in French film production could lead to a fascist takeover of the collective imagination. An open letter published in Libération, timed with the Cannes film festival, said billionaire Vincent Bolloré’s dominant position in production and distribution threatens industry independence. Signatories included Juliette Binoche, Raymond Depardon, and Sepideh Farsi. The letter warned that leaving French cinema to a far-right owner risks standardised films and authoritarian control of culture. Bolloré is described as a conservative industrialist with a media empire including CNews, Europe 1, and Le Journal du Dimanche, and as being close to far-right figures. Legal action has been opened over alleged racist comments on CNews, which denied racism.

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