After 18 months of health crisis, confinements, openings and closings, is the economic situation of the cultural sector catastrophic to the point of seeing entire sections of the industry disappear?
Asked Monday on France Inter, the Minister of Culture Roselyne Bachelot wanted to be reassuring about the health of the environment, although she recognizes a
"contrasting or mixed situation"
.
Read also Coronavirus: the public and private sectors of culture not equal in the face of the economic shock
“You have to judge and analyze sector by sector
,” she said.
In the cinema, the drop in average attendance since the reopening of theaters is around 25%. But we are witnessing a kind of bipolarization of the sector, with films that are working very, very well, and average films, which nevertheless had an audience
[before the health crisis,
editor's note
]
, much more impacted. However, we note that there is a recovery that is starting to take hold, so I am not saying that the situation is worrying. ”
The Minister nevertheless acknowledged that it was difficult to assess the figures for live performance.
“There too, there are extremely different situations
, tries to explain Roselyne Bachelot.
As easy as it is to see the attendance at the cinemas since every Tuesday evening the figures fall, as much
the performing arts sector, and in particular the private theater, is so contrasted, so fragmented, that we are gradually increasing the figures. .
[…]
But, here too, there are shows that work very well, others that do not work well, ”she
regrets.
“For 52% of people, still today, it is the fear of going out and being infected that prevails.
This is absolutely not the question of the health pass.
On the contrary it brings security for many
Roselyne Bachelot, on France Inter
Is this drop in attendance transient or are consumption patterns transformed and for a long time to come?
On this point, the minister embraces the Macronist line of “at the same time”.
“A bit of both,”
she replies, dismissing the idea that
“sectors will disappear”
.
"We must re-examine cultural practices," she
says, explaining that she
"launched a large study
on 3000 people
" to understand the phenomenon.
Read alsoPublic theater, private theater: rivals but not too many
“For 52% of people, still today, it is the fear of going out and being infected that prevails. This is absolutely not the question of the health pass,
says the minister.
On the contrary, it provides security for many people. ”
It also designates
"the habit of watching a certain number of shows in streaming"
and
"teleworking, which distances a certain number of people from places of culture"
, as avenues to explain this drop in attendance.
"Fight with our weapons"
Asked about Netflix's offensive on European territory and the multi-year contract between the French actor Omar Sy and the streaming platform, the minister was somewhat embarrassed, calling for
"fighting with our weapons"
and recalling the initiatives put in place to influence the series sector.
“There is a 400 million euros future investment plan that is already there to see innovative practices. We are leading a regulatory architecture through a number of European directives, ”she
explains. A little short against the American giants?
“We are going to impose funding on these large platforms
,” recalls Roselyne Bachelot.
Next year, 250 million euros will be taxed on major platforms to finance French production.
In the France 2030 plan, 600 million euros to create the studios that allow the series to be shot.
We have very good young professionals in film writing, we need to train them better in writing series. ”
Read alsoWhy Netflix siphons talent
The controversy around the Korean series
Squid Game
, known for its violence, was invited in the interview. Jean-Michel Blanquer was alarmed that primary school students were having fun reproducing certain scenes in schoolyards. The minister agrees with him.
“Most of the fifth graders have seen
Squid Game
when it's only for over 16s.
[…]
They mimic, in schoolyards, the way in which we kill losers in the game.
[…]
We do not leave children in front of such shows. I appeal to the parents' responsibility. "
During questions from listeners, a young woman questioned Roselyne Bachelot on the movement denouncing harassment in the theatrical environment.
The former Minister of Health reaffirmed
"the fight against sexual and gender-based violence"
as
"one of the priorities of the Ministry of Culture"
, recalling the measures taken, such as appeal platforms or referents appointed in cultural structures .
But she was less comfortable when asked about Bertrand Cantat's participation in
Wajdi Mouawad's
Mother
show
at the Théâtre de La Colline.
See also Bertrand Cantat loses his defamation lawsuit against
Le Point
Roselyne Bachelot
“regretted”
the presence of the former singer of the group Noir Désir, sentenced in 2003 to eight years in prison for having killed his partner Marie Trintignant.
But, in the name of
"the freedom of creation"
and stressing the integrity of the director Wajdi Mouawad,
"who cannot be accused of the slightest complacency in the fight against sexual and gender-based violence"
, the minister specified that 'she did
not “have to intervene in the management of the Théâtre de La Colline”
.