Saada Vows to Cut Off 600 Anti-Bolloré Petitioners
Get the Culture newsletter
Daily culture — film, music, books, the trends and ideas worth your attention. Free.
- Maxime Saada told Canal+'s annual producers' lunch in Cannes that he will no longer work with the 600 signatories of the "Time To Switch-Off Bolloré" petition, framing it as an injustice to Canal+ teams
- The petition, launched on Cannes' opening night, targets Canal+ Group's acquisition of a 34% stake in UGC — with an option to buy outright by 2028 — calling it a new step in Bolloré's expansion strategy
- Signatories include Juliette Binoche, Adèle Haenel, Jean-Pascal Zadi, and Cannes 2026 Palme d'Or contenders Arthur Harari and Bertrand Mandico, with more than 500 other film industry members backing the collective
- Saada cited Arthur Harari's Libération interview calling Bolloré a "crypto-fascist" as his red line, though that language does not appear in the actual open letter text
- Canal+ and Studiocanal logos were booed at the Full Phil premiere, and Deadline reports one signatory willing to go on record has since asked for anonymity following Saada's remarks
- Canal+ remains France's biggest cinema funder, having pledged €480m ($558m) over 2025-2027 in a March 2025 accord and supporting 27 films in Cannes' Official Selection
Why it matters: Saada's public threat to blacklist 600 film professionals — many of whose projects depend on Canal+ financing — weaponizes the company's market power at a moment when French cinema is already financially consolidated under one buyer. Deadline reports some declined to sign the petition for fear of reprisals, and one on-record source has since retreated to anonymity, suggesting the CEO's words are already narrowing who can speak publicly about Bolloré's influence.
Ask SkimNews
