The Molière Awards ceremony, broadcast on France 2, provoked a strong reaction from David Lisnard. The mayor of Cannes, who is also president of the Association of Mayors of France, criticized the overall tone of the evening, believing that it gave a bad image of France Télévisions and the public broadcasting service.
In a message posted on X, the elected official denounced what he considers to be a ceremony that is too politically charged, to the detriment of the promotion of theatre and live performance.
David Lisnard's scathing review
David Lisnard notably felt that the evening could have a more negative effect on the image of France Télévisions than institutional criticisms targeting public broadcasting:
"I fear that the Molière ceremony will do more damage to the image of France TV than the parliamentary report.
So much seen and heard before, so lazy, so monotonous, so disrespectful of taxpayers and ultimately so harmful to the live entertainment that the ceremony is supposed to promote.
"Such is the sad state of affairs in France."
France Télévisions at the heart of the criticism
This stance comes amid ongoing debates about France Télévisions' funding, editorial policy, and neutrality. David Lisnard's message directly targets what he perceives as a form of ideological insularity on a public service channel. According to the elected official, the ceremony served less to showcase artists and their work than to broadcast a predictable, repetitive political discourse disconnected from a segment of the public.
Is live performance being relegated to the background?
The criticism also extends to the very purpose of the Molière Awards. The ceremony is supposed to celebrate theatre, actors, directors, playwrights, and the entire performing arts. However, according to David Lisnard, the tone adopted during the evening weakened this message. By describing the ceremony as "harmful to live performance"He criticizes the event for diverting attention from its primary mission: promoting theatrical creation and encouraging audiences to attend performances. It's hard to disagree with him…
