Controversial Comments by Matthew Cassowitz at Cannes

Matthew Cassowitz, a well-known French actor and director, made headlines during this week’s Cannes Film Festival by stating, “there are no more French people anymore,” expressing his desire for the entire world to become mixed-race.

Known for his films addressing social justice, Cassowitz, who has tackled themes of racism against immigrants in Paris, seems to embrace the idea of an increasingly diverse society, even hinting at a sense of exclusion regarding the French identity.

In a segment of the news show càvous, aired alongside the festival, he remarked, “We must be proud to be one of the most integrated countries in the world. That’s one of our strengths and that’s what makes us French.” He continued, stating there are “no more indigenous people in France today” and expressed hope for continued mixing, not just in France but globally.

Comparisons have been made to previous remarks by his father, who was a Hungarian immigrant to France during the 1956 revolution. The elder Kassowitz once reflected on his son’s film, commenting on the complexities of identity by saying, “My son’s story is about a man who wanted to be a big black man when he was a little white Jew.”

These statements echo sentiments expressed by other political figures, including Jean-Luc Mélenchon, a former presidential candidate, who criticized the very notion of being ethnically French. He pointed out that the demographics of France have significantly changed over the years.

In reaction to Cassowitz’s statement, Marion Maréchal, a member of the Le Pen political dynasty, asserted, “I am a French woman at birth and I have no intention of disappearing.”