The Cannes Film Festival accused of censoring the interviews of its director Thierry Frémaux

“A long bastion of artistic freedom, the Cannes Film Festival has a secret: it censors interviews with festival director Thierry Frémaux.” It is with these strong words that the American site Deadline recounts his misadventure to his readers. The media explains to them why he decided not to publish at all the interview he made with the director of the festival. Deadline prefers to tell behind the scenes. First of all, he is surprised that the festival granted this interview on condition that he be able to read it again. Which has never happened with any other festival, according to the American media. The argument of the press service was to ensure the correct transcription of the remarks.

But, according to Deadline, this is not what actually happened at the time of replay. The festival would have liked to cut passages deemed sensitive and controversial. Thierry Frémaux spoke there in particular of the director Roman Polanski, and would have implied that there would be no ethical problem in welcoming him to the festival. Another answer about the lack of female directors was also censored.

A possible second case of censorship

Requests that surprise the American site all the more, since the interview with Thierry Frémaux would have gone very well, in a “relaxed atmosphere”. Not only does the media denounce these practices and also criticize other journalists for not rebelling. Especially since he says he is aware of another case of censorship. A response on the lack of black directors would have been cut from an article by another outlet.

The journalist from Deadline ends his article by bringing out an old quote from Thierry Frémaux: “A great festival is a free festival, freedom of expression is essential to ensure its greatness”. A quote that the media enriches as follows: “The same goes for the press”.