The Minister of Culture, Franck Riester, visited Nice this Friday.
He first went to the Villa Arson where he was supposed to meet with the students, then to the Victorine Studios on the occasion of the site’s centenary. He was accompanied by the Mayor of Nice and President of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis, Christian Estrosi, and the Municipal Councilor delegated to cinema and Art in Public Spaces, Robert Roux. French actor Jean Dujardin was also present.
Upon his arrival at the Villa Arson, a school and Art Center, the minister was confronted by about twenty students demonstrating. They wanted to express their discontent, particularly concerning tuition fees. Due to this demonstration, the visit had to be cut short, with no interaction with the students.
In the early afternoon, the minister was welcomed at the Victorine Studios, celebrating their 100th anniversary. Created in 1919, they consist of 11 studios spread over 7 hectares of land. Many films and renowned cinema figures have been part of Victorine’s history. Since the end of 2017, the City of Nice has taken over the management and is now looking to breathe new life into the studios.
Within the Rex Ingram Villa, the minister and other speakers discussed the future of the Victorine studios and the technical evolution of cinema over the years. Christian Estrosi announced that an architectural project would be completed in the coming weeks, alongside the development of a business plan. Redevelopment and reconstruction work will be necessary. It will also be crucial to find an economic balance and attract international platforms to make the studios appealing.
The minister was then able to visit different emblematic places on site, such as a film set or the carpentry workshop.
Finally, Franck Riester spoke about the passing of director Agnès Varda last night. “There is a lot of emotion. A whole part of cinema history disappears with her,” he said.
