Cannes 2023: why is protest action threatening Johnny Depp and others at the prestigious French film festival?

With the launch of the 2023 edition of the Cannes Film Festival taking place tomorrow, you can certainly have some empathy for organisers if you’ve ever tried to plan an event only for things beyond your control to take place. In this case, it’s the threat that one of cinema’s biggest film festivals might not have any power supplied to it during a gala opening affair.

Members of the National Federation of Mines and Energy – a branch of the powerful CGT union – announced in April “100 days of action and anger” that is expected to hit the movie industry’s annual event as well as other sports and cultural meetings - including the Monaco Grand Prix and the French Open also beginning this month. 

It’s not an unprecedented situation for the film festival either; in 1968, the entire festival was called off due to the events around May 68 coupled with the controversial move seeing  On February 9, 1968 decided to the incredibly popular Henri Langlois, director and co-founder of the Cinémathèque, removed from his position after a meeting of the board of directors of the Cinémathèque Française, the Ministry of Culture and of the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée. 

The festival was eventually halted on May 19, 1968, as filmmakers and industry professionals joined the protests. The jury, led by Roman Polanski, declared no winner that year.

That unrest eerily echoes that France is facing currently, which led to King Charles III to postpone his state visit amid ongoing protests and outbreaks of civil disobedience - verging at points into civil unrest. But as of yet, organisers of Cannes Film Festival have not indicated that they anticipate any extenuating circumstances that may prevent the opening film, Johnny Depp’s comeback picture Jeanne du Barry, ringing in 2023’s festival season.

Why are there protests in France?

The issue of pension reforms has been a topic of concern for various French governments in recent decades. These reforms aim to address budget shortfalls and ensure the sustainability of the pension system. France currently boasts one of the lowest retirement ages among industrialised nations and allocates a significant portion of its economic output, nearly 14%, towards pension payments. The country's pension system operates on a "pay-as-you-go structure," where mandatory payroll taxes from workers and employers fund retiree pensions.

The Borne government's pension reform proposal has faced significant opposition from various sectors of society. Critics argue that raising the retirement age and increasing the required contribution years would place an undue burden on workers. The use of Article 49.3 of the French Constitution, which allows the government to bypass parliamentary approval for the bill, further fueled public discontent. This move triggered more protests and led to failed votes of no confidence against the government.