France’s film industry reacts to a decision by Canal+, the country’s largest film producer, to stop working with more than 600 cinema professionals who signed an open petition opposing owner Vincent Bolloré’s political influence in media and film. The petition, published ahead of the Cannes Film Festival, is signed by actors, directors and other industry figures, including Juliette Binoche, filmmaker Sepideh Farsi and director Arthur Harari. It raises concerns about what signatories describe as the “grip of the far right” in French cinema.
Canal+ chief executive Maxime Saada says the company will blacklist the petition signatories, presenting the move as a defense of Canal+ teams and the organisation’s independence. In the coverage, Saada frames the petition as an “injustice” toward staff, while critics compare the situation to historical blacklisting practices, including McCarthy-era parallels. The dispute is presented as a broader reckoning within French cinema over how much the sector depends on a single company.
