Juliette Binoche, Adèle Haenel, Swann Arlaud, and 600 other French film professionals have signed an open letter opposing right-wing billionaire Vincent Bolloré's plan to take full control of UGC, France's third-largest cinema chain.
Concerns Over Media Influence
Published in Libération, the letter warns that Bolloré's acquisition of UGC amounts to a 'fascist takeover of the collective imagination'. Bolloré's media empire, Vivendi, already owns Canal+, France's largest pay-TV company, and Studiocanal, Europe's leading film production company. Through Canal+, he holds a 34 percent stake in UGC and aims for full control by 2028.
Backlash in the Film Industry
This protest follows a similar backlash from over 100 writers who resigned from Grasset, a historic French publishing house owned by Bolloré, accusing him of promoting reactionary and far-right ideas. In a 2022 French senate hearing, Bolloré denied any political motives, stating his interest in expanding French cultural soft power.
Industry Professionals Speak Out
The letter, signed by producers, distributors, filmmakers, and crew, states that they rely on Bolloré's financial backing but feel compelled to 'break the silence insidiously imposed on our industry'. They accuse him of leading a far-right 'civilizational project' via his media channels like CNews and warn that the ideological influence on film content, though discreet so far, could intensify.
Potential Impact on French Cinema
With the UGC deal, the group fears Bolloré will have 'unprecedented concentration' of financial power in the French film industry, cautioning that they 'won’t be able to say we didn’t know'. The letter highlights concerns about the far-right National Rally (RN) party's calls to dismantle key French film institutes and asks if the future of French cinema could be limited to propaganda films serving an ideology.
Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/juliette-binoche-protests-right-wing-mogul-cinema-bid-1236593187/
