Pierre Gendronneau, number two at the Avignon Festival, has left after accusations of sexual violence in a previous position.
By The New Obs with AFP
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Banner for the Avignon Festival on June 28, 2022. ADIL BENAYACHE/SIPA
Pierre Gendronneau, deputy director of the Avignon Festival, will leave his post on June 13, "for personal reasons" and following "accusations" of sexual and gender-based violence in a previous position at another organization, his boss, Tiago Rodrigues, announced on Wednesday, April 30.
"We announced today to the festival team the departure of Pierre Gendronneau from the position of deputy director, for personal reasons and to pursue other professional horizons," Tiago Rodrigues, director of the festival, told AFP, confirming information on the " Télérama " website.
This departure "was taken by mutual agreement," he specified, without confirming whether it was a mutual termination. Pierre Gendronneau had been appointed in February 2023.
It comes as an internal investigation was "conducted in November and December" by the Egaé firm, headed by Caroline de Hass. "Several independent lawyers" contacted by the festival concluded that "the investigation did not reveal any proven facts of harassment or violence on the part of Pierre Gendronneau during his time working at the festival," continued Tiago Rodrigues.
Investigation at the Autumn FestivalThis internal investigation was decided "two days" after the festival was informed, at the beginning of November, that the Ministry of Culture was triggering Article 40 of the Code of Criminal Procedure targeting Pierre Gendronneau, in response to reports that had reached it, he explained.
Following Egaé's investigation, "Pierre Gendronneau continued in his position. However, the fact that there were accusations against him prior to his arrival at the Avignon festival and other investigations launched created a climate of suspicion towards him. It became impossible for him to carry out his mission," Tiago Rodrigues added.
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According to Télérama, the Paris Autumn Festival, where Pierre Gendronneau was assistant director Emmanuel Demarcy-Motta, has also commissioned the Egaé firm to conduct an investigation. Contacted by AFP, Emmanuel Demarcy-Motta was not immediately available for comment.
Prior to 2023, Pierre Gendronneau was also a production manager at the Scène nationale de Sénart and a production director at the Centre dramatique national de Montreuil. The 79th edition of the Avignon Festival is scheduled for July 5-26, 2025.
By The New Obs with AFP
