PARIS -- Organizers of the Cannes Film Festival reacted angrily Wednesday to a French press report suggesting that France's troubled film industry will be the subject of a debate on the eve of the festival.
Dismissing the item in the daily Le Figaro as "gossip with no foundation in reality," a spokesman confirmed that a pre-festival debate is being organized, a first for the event, but on a "much more international theme."
"In the year 2000, it would be absurd for an international film festival to choose such a narrow subject for debate," the spokesman said.
Festival director Gilles Jacob will consult with members of the festival's board before giving further details later this week, the spokesman said.
In its "Confidential" column, Le Figaro claimed that French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin had been invited to participate and implied that professional organizations may snub the debate.
Even if the future of France's film industry won't be addressed at Cannes, the continuing failure of French films to make a mark both commercially and artistically is a subject hotly discussed in Gaul.
Some in the industry claim that the country's output -- some 181 movies last year -- is creating a film glut.
In the coming days or weeks, Culture Minister Catherine Trautmann is due to receive a report on the state of the industry.
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