Deconfinement in France: the world of culture between prudence and relief
A Morris column with a poster for a show in May 2022 in the streets of Paris.
© Siegfried Forster / RFI
Text by: Siegfried Forster Follow |
Muriel Maalouf |
Elisabeth Lequeret Follow |
Sébastien Jédor Follow
4 min
Relief and hope reign among cultural professionals in France.
In an interview with the regional press on Thursday, April 29, the French president announced a deconfinement in four stages, including the reopening of cultural places.
Thus, cinemas and museums will be able to reopen from May 19, at the same time as the curfew will be pushed back to 9 p.m.
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"
From May 19, we must rediscover our French art of living, while remaining careful and responsible: our conviviality, our culture, sport ...
", affirmed the President of the Republic during the interview with the regional press.
With a curfew at 9 p.m., from May 19, theaters will once again have to adapt their schedules and obviously limit their gauges.
Jean-Michel Ribes, the director of the Théâtre du Rond-Point in Paris, notices that the shows are ready, but, scalded by the multiple closings and openings of the theaters for a year, he remains cautious, even if a breach opens for the world of entertainment:
“
For the moment, we are in full reflection, because it is not enough to say that we open so that, the next day, we open,
he said at the microphone of RFI.
It's a big machine to restart.
And it takes a little while.
"
The question of the health pass
At the same time, Emmanuel Macron warned that it would be “
absurd not to use
” a health pass system “
in places where crowds mix, such as stadiums, festivals, fairs or exhibitions
”. Access to cultural events such as the Cannes or Avignon festivals will then be subject to a negative test or a certificate of immunity. It is from June 30 that events with more than 1,000 people will be authorized again in France, but subject to a health pass.
For rapper Georgio, very popular among 15-35 year olds, anyway, it's time to get back on stage, even if the fans are sitting - at first - to listen to rap.
"
It's clear, rap is a living music, with a lot of energy, where you want to hug, jump on it, and everyone sings the chorus at the top of their lungs ... C ' is true, with a seated audience, it lends itself less, but, I think to counterbalance that, the lyrics are so important in rap that this will be a moment when we should perhaps rearrange the song to put the text in before, to propose something else, different things, but I think it is possible.
Me, in any case, as soon as we can do concerts again, I'm going to do some.
"
Filmmaker Robert Guédiguian is "relieved"
Museums, monuments, cinemas, theaters and performance halls with a seated audience will be able to resume their activity from May 19 with a maximum of 800 people indoors and 1,000 outdoors. To access restaurants, theaters and cinemas, the health pass "
cannot be compulsory
", underlined the French Head of State while warning that the schedule will remain subject to possible adaptations in the event of a worsening of the health situation.
Robert Guédiguian has just finished shooting his new film,
Mali Twist
.
At the microphone of RFI, he confided how he received the news of the reopening of theaters on May 19: “
Relieved.
With relief, of course, even though there are a lot of movies on hold.
The sooner everything can resume, the sooner my last film will be released.
Because it is very difficult to make another film when the previous one has not yet been released.
"
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