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Paris (AFP)
The cultural milieu, in particular the performing arts disaster stricken for a year by the health crisis, remains cautious in front of the reopening option outlined on Friday by Roselyne Bachelot.
“If the epidemic situation allows it, in mid-May, we are in a position to reopen places of culture”, launched the Minister of Culture on BFMTV.
But to the question “museums, theaters, cinemas at the same time?”, Mrs. Bachelot was content to answer: “We will assess the situation in the finest and most appropriate way”. The reopening of places of culture “will be done gradually with strict respect for precautionary measures” and according to “progressive gauges”, she limited herself to specifying.
Faced with these statements, reactions differ depending on the branch.
“We are ready, we have been working since March with the Ministry of Culture on a gradual reopening”, told AFP the general delegate of the Federation of Cinemas (FNCF), Marc-Olivier Sebbag. “We are waiting for the top that the President of the Republic will probably give. On May 17, it will be 199 days that the cinemas are closed, so you can imagine how we want to be ready,” he adds, laughing .
– “It is unclear” –
The answers are more nuanced for the performing arts. “The first thing is that all the good news is good to take. Symbolically, we can open mid-May, but we need certainty”, comments for AFP the producer Jean-Marc Dumontet, at the head of several Parisian theaters. “It points a horizon from mid-May. And uncertainties: we are asked to imagine shows with actors, with progressive approaches, it is not easy. Yes, we prefer to rack our brains and play . But, by the force of circumstances, it is unclear “.
The tone is more serious in current music. Ms. Bachelot said she was confident about the holding of the Printemps de Bourges, at the end of June, chosen as part of the second part of the States General of festivals.
An optimism that does not share the director of the event, Boris Vedel. “This is not the first time that someone has said that Spring will take place and that unfortunately it is postponed or canceled,” said the leader to AFP. “A festival like ours cannot live with + yes, but +. We are + we are going or not +. If we are told, + from such and such a date and if and only if +: we will not be no kamikaze, we don’t want + crash + the event “.
And to asséner: “We cannot forget a reality of implementation of a festival, which does not depend simply on that of a gauge. The schedule of resumption of activities must be announced in the very next days. , otherwise we will have to resolve to cancel “.
– “Not a movie screening” –
Without forgetting other parameters: “We need acceptable constraints, because a festival is not a cinema screening, we spend hours on a site, it is a place of life. And if ever the constraints are acceptable for Printemps but not for other festivals, the touring plan of certain artists would be broken and they could cancel their coming “.
The word “uncertainty” also comes up with Malika Seguineau, of Prodiss (Syndicate of musical and variety shows). “If a recovery phase is confirmed (mid-May) in sitting with 35% of gauge, for the private model, it is complicated, underlines the person in charge with AFP. The declarations of the minister are insufficient, the frame is not stabilized “.
In addition, Roselyne Bachelot ensures that the concert-test of Bercy, constantly postponed, could take place within two weeks. “The project is launched, the fortnight is undoubtedly for the decision on the budgetary component, but for the date it is rather on the end of May”, clarifies Malika Seguineau.
Regarding the cost, the minister unveiled an invoice of “900,000 euros” for this experiment, while Bercy is loaned free of charge. “We are talking about the scientific budget here because the concert production part is assumed by the pros of the sector and the artists (Indochina is voluntary, editor’s note) do not ask for any fee,” she further clarifies.
© 2021 AFP
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