Reception hostesses, projectionists, graphic designers, press officers, communications officers, stage manager… Cannes Festival employees were invited to a welcome drink on Sunday, a few days before the opening, at the Palais des Festivals. But the atmosphere was not exactly serene. In agreement with the festival management, the collective Sous les screens, la dèche, representing precarious festival employees, proclaimed its grievances.
According to Jean-Charles Canu, a member of the collective, this speech was planned. “Someone asked management if it was possible to set up a small table to hand out stickers. It was accepted,” he relates.
The operation is part of the continuation of the call for strike launched at the beginning of last week. In a press release, Under the Screens of the Dèche denounces the “recent reforms of unemployment insurance of the general system, and that of next July 1 which will be applied by decree”, which “will tighten the rules of compensation for applicants for job”.
For fear “that the majority of us [give up] our activity”, the collective is demanding a review of their status. Or switch to the intermittent regime, which will allow them to receive better compensation. Until now, their complaints have not been heard. “Our alerts and demands have so far been received with polite kindness, but no concrete proposals have been put forward by the CNC or the Ministry of Culture. »
The social movement could “disrupt the event,” said the collective. Despite everything, “the Cannes Festival, the Filmmakers’ Fortnight, the Critics’ Week and the ACID would like to emphasize that they are aware of the difficulties encountered by some of their staff”, they assured in a joint press release. An extremely rare mobilization, since only the 21st edition of the Cannes Film Festival was compromised by a strike, following the clashes of May 1968.