Canal+ Faces Legal Challenge Over Discrimination Allegations Linked to Anti-Bolloré Petition

The French League for the Defense of Human Rights (LDH) and the CGT Federation of Spectacle have formally filed a civil lawsuit against Canal+ citing discrimination against signatories of an anti-Bolloré petition. This legal action follows remarks made by Maxime Saada, Canal+'s CEO, on May 17 at the Producers' Brunch during the Cannes Film Festival, where he expressed strong opposition to the petition and threatened to halt collaboration with those who signed it.

The petition, published by the collective 'Zapper Bolloré' in Libération on May 11 and signed by 600 industry figures, protested Canal+'s complete takeover of UGC. In response, Saada characterized the petition as an injustice against Canal+'s teams striving to maintain the channel's independence and diversity and explicitly stated he would no longer work with the petition's supporters.

The LDH and CGT denounce Saada's stance as a direct act of discrimination based on political and union expressions, accusing Canal+ of attempting to silence dissenters opposing the growing influence of the far-right Bolloré group in the French film industry. They argue that Canal+ is infringing on the contractual freedoms of cinema professionals and demand the cancellation of Saada's decision along with the appointment of a representative to oversee discrimination practices within the company.

This case underscores wider concerns about power concentration within the French film industry and ongoing tensions between media leadership and freedom of expression advocates. The announcement of the lawsuit at Cannes has sparked significant debate across the cinema sector, emphasizing the sensitive nature of corporate influence and the protection of individual rights in the cultural domain.

According to reports, this legal challenge is now proceeding before the Nanterre judicial court as the parties seek to address the complex issues surrounding discrimination, freedom of speech, and professional collaboration within the media landscape.