Angoulême Festival in turmoil: toxic management, rape complaint… The Ministry of Culture is concerned about “dysfunctions”

The Ministry of Culture claims to take the “dysfunctions” of the Angoulême Comic Strip Festival “very seriously”. MAXPPP – Anne Lacaud

The Ministry of Culture has claimed to take “very seriously” the “dysfunctions” of the Angoulême Comic Strip Festival, accused in a recent investigation by L'Humanité Magazine of managerial “drift” and of having dismissed an employee shortly after a complaint of rape.

“The Ministry of Culture takes very seriously the various dysfunctions of the Angoulême International Comics Festival that have recently been echoed in the press”, assures the ministry, one of the public contributors to the festival (FIBD) whose 52nd edition ends this Sunday.

The ministry says it is “particularly concerned” by the case of this former communications manager dismissed for serious misconduct in mid-March 2024, a month and a half after a rape she claims to have suffered during the festival.

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Vigilance

The FIBD“says he is irreproachable and claims that the dismissal has nothing to do with the denunciation of the rape (…) but the ministry is extremely vigilant about this situation which, if confirmed, is particularly serious”, indicates the written statement sent to AFP on Saturday evening.

The festival, whose management has been entrusted to the company 9e Art+ since 2007, had assured last week that it had never “failed in its obligations” towards its former employee, who was accused of “behavior incompatible with the image of the company”.

Saturday evening, during the presentation of the Fauves distinguishing authors and albums of the year, several winners and speakers called on the festival to do more against sexual violence.

External audit

According to the members of the 2025 jury, the festival has committed to an external audit being conducted on these issues.

The Ministry of Culture also assures that it is waiting for “all the answers to be provided on the financial and managerial difficulties” mentioned in l'Humanité magazine, while the partnership established with 9e Art is due to be reviewed soon.

According to the ministry, the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs (DRAC) has “requested” a meeting with the communities and professionals soon to take stock of all of these subjects.