There is something of a gap in the agenda. For the fifty years of the death of Marcel Pagnol, Thursday April 18, the city of Marseille shines… by his absence. At the very least by the minimum service if we believe the only one cinema cycle dedicated to adaptations of Marcel Pagnol’s films, from April 28 to June 2, at the Château de la Buzine. “If Benoît Payan loved Marcel Pagnol, it would not have happened like that,” says Nicolas Pagnol, the grandson of the writer and filmmaker, who “cut off access to the works” of his grandfather at the time. city hall.
At the heart of the conflict: the resumption of direct management of the Château de la Buzine, reputed to be that of the My Mother’s Castle writings by Marcel Pagnol and of which an association chaired by Nicolas Pagnol has been managing since 2014. The case, brought before the courts, also took a political turn, the Pagnol clan finding support in the local right. Nicolas Pagnol will thus mark with his presence the launch of the Marcel Pagnol trilogy on Wednesday at the regional hotel, at the invitation of Renaud Muselier (Renaissance). On social networks, the president of the Paca region said “ scandalized by the treatment reserved for Nicolas Pagnol by the city.” He also called for “celebrating and honoring this symbol of the Provençal soul”.
“This will strengthen our future Allauch museum”
This will also be done in Aubagne, which will unveil a new bust of Marcel Pagnol and dedicate a “Rendezvous with Marcel” weekend including a free visit to his birthplace. Also in Allauch, at the gates of Marseille, where the Bastide Neuve is located where Marcel Pagnol spent his holidays at the foot of Garlaban, as he recounts in his Childhood memories. And where an outdoor exhibition is presented on the faces of Marcel Pagnol in the cinema. There too, Nicolas Pagnol will be present at this tribute, followed by others on this anniversary day in La Treille and La Ciotat. Contacted about possible festivities in Marseille, the town hall did not respond to our requests.
“The city of Marseille has itself found itself in difficulty and therefore on the margins of this tribute which goes beyond borders,” comments the mayor of Allauch, Lionel de Cala (LR). For him, the Buzine episode remains “very regrettable and incomprehensible”. “But paradoxically, this will strengthen our museum project,” he adds. Allauch will thus be the capital of the work of Marcel Pagnol. His legacy will be brought together in one place. »
The future Marcel Pagnol museum will take place on 1,200 m² on the first floor of the electrical factory which powered the old tramways linking the hills to Marseille. It is due to open in 2026. This project, carried out hand in hand with the grandson of Marcel Pagnol, was launched in 2019. Well before the Buzine episode.