Frédéric Mitterrand

Frédéric Mitterrand

Frédéric Mitterrand in 2008
French Minister of Culture
In office
23 June 2009 – 16 May 2012
President Nicolas Sarkozy
Prime Minister François Fillon
Preceded by Christine Albanel
Succeeded by Aurélie Filippetti
Personal details
Born (1947-08-21) 21 August 1947
Paris, France
Nationality French
Alma mater Sciences Po

Frédéric Mitterrand (born 21 August 1947 in Paris), a French and Tunisian citizen,[1] is a former French Minister of Culture and Communication. Throughout his career, he has been an actor, screenwriter, television presenter, writer, producer and director.

Biography

Born in Paris, he is the nephew of François Mitterrand, who was the President of France from 1981 to 1995, and the son of engineer Robert Mitterrand[2] (1915–2002) and Edith Cahier, the niece of Eugène Deloncle, the co-founder of "La Cagoule".

He went to the Lycée Janson de Sailly in Paris and studied history and geography at the Paris West University Nanterre La Défense, and political science at Sciences Po. He taught economics, history and geography at EABJM from 1968 to 1971. In 1978, he was a film critic at J'informe. From 1971 to 1986, he ran several art film cinemas in Paris (Olympic Palace, Entrepôt and Olympic-Entrepôt).[3] He also had roles in a number of films, and was in the 1980s active as a producer and director in TV productions.

In June 2008, Mitterrand was appointed as the director of the French Academy in Rome by President Nicolas Sarkozy.[4]

A year later, on 23 June 2009, Mitterrand was appointed to the French government as the Minister of Culture and Communications[5] until May 2012.[6]

Mitterrand, who is openly bisexual, writes a monthly column for Têtu.[7]

The Bad Life

Mitterrand's autobiographical novel The Bad Life (French: La mauvaise vie) was a best seller in 2005. In the book he details his "delight" whilst visiting the male brothels of Bangkok, and writes, "I got into the habit of paying for boys ... The profusion of young, very attractive and immediately available boys put me in a state of desire I no longer needed to restrain or hide." At the time of its release Mitterrand was applauded for his honesty, but he has had to defend his writings after he publicly defended Roman Polanski when Polanski was detained in Switzerland on an American request for extradition for raping a thirteen-year-old girl.[8]

On 5 October 2009, Marine Le Pen of the French National Front Party quoted sections of the book on French television, accusing him of having sex with underage boys and engaging in "sex tourism", demanding that Mitterrand resign his position as culture minister. Amongst others he was also criticised by the Socialist Party spokesman Benoît Hamon, who stated: “As a minister of culture he has drawn attention to himself by defending a film maker and he has written a book where he said he took advantage of sexual tourism. To say the least, I find it shocking.”[9] On the other hand, some conservatives supported Mitterrand, and a close aide to Nicolas Sarkozy said the French President backed his Culture Minister, describing the controversy around him as "pathetic."[10] Mitterrand also insists the book isn't an autobiography, the publisher describes it as a "novel inspired by autobiography" and the BBC refers to it as "autobiographical novel".[2][11][12] In his own defence Mitterrand stated, "Each time I was with people who were my age, or who were five years younger – there wasn't the slightest ambiguity – and who were consenting," and that he uses the term "boys" loosely, both in his life and in the book. He also declared, "I condemn sexual tourism, which is a disgrace. I condemn paedophilia, which I have never in any way participated in."[13][14]

Filmography

Actor
Producer

Publications

Honours

See also

References

  1. ↑ RMC.fr (2011-01-17). 'Mitterrand: une nationalité tunisienne embarrassante', 17 January 2011. Retrieved from http://www.rmc.fr/editorial/143687/mitterrand-une-nationalite-tunisienne-embarrassante
  2. 1 2 Schofield, Hugh (9 October 2009). "'Bad Life' minister's colourful dynasty". BBC News (BBC). Retrieved 12 October 2009.
  3. ↑ http://www.arte.tv/de/Die-wilden-Seventies/2139232.html
  4. ↑ LEXPRESS.fr (2008-06-04). 'Frédéric Mitterrand nommé à la Villa Médicis', in L'Express, 4 June 2008. Retrieved from http://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/politique/frederic-mitterrand-nomme-a-la-villa-medicis_507570.html?xtor=RSS-96.
  5. ↑ LE MONDE.FR (2009-06-23). 'Frédéric Mitterrand confirme sa venue à la culture', in Le Monde, 23 June 2009. Retrieved from http://www.lemonde.fr/politique/article/2009/06/23/frederic-mitterrand-prochain-ministre-de-la-culture_1210246_823448.html#ens_id=1210247.
  6. ↑ (French) Transfer of power in the Ministry of Culture, in Libération.fr, 17 May 2012.
  7. ↑ Frédéric Mitterrand, 'Lettre Romaine', in Têtu, July–August 2009, issue 146, p. 20.
  8. ↑ Samuel, Henry (7 October 2009). "Frédéric Mitterrand admitted to paying for sex with 'young boys’ in Thailand". London: The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
  9. ↑ Bremner, Charles (7 October 2009). "Culture Minister Frédéric Mitterand fights to save job in rent boy row". London: The Times. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
  10. ↑ "Mitterrand: A Friend to Polanski — and Young Boys?". Time online. 8 October 2009. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
  11. ↑ Allen, Peter (8 October 2009). "Sarkozy backs sex tourism minister". London: The Telegraph. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
  12. ↑ "French culture minister denies paying boys for sex". The Associated Press. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
  13. ↑ O'Brien, Mike (8 October 2009). "French pol Mitterrand forced to clarify 'sex with boys' comments after he defends Roman Polanski". New York: NYDailyNews.com. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
  14. ↑ "'Bad life' haunts Frederic Mitterrand". the australian news. Archived from the original on 11 October 2009. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
  15. ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH81k3Wh9ec
  16. ↑ http://iranian.com/main/blog/darius-kadivar/documentary-farah-fr-d-ric-mitterrand-2009.html
  17. ↑ Sovereign Ordonnance n° 1396 of 18 Nov. 2007 : promotions or nominations by Prince Albert II : recipients
  18. ↑ http://www.familiaregala.ro/ro/familia-regala-astazi/ordine-si-medalii/

External links

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Political offices
Preceded by
Christine Albanel		 Minister of Culture
2009–2012 		Succeeded by
Aurélie Filippetti
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