Marseille Court Overturns Secularism-Based Ban on Christian Film Screening
The screening of the film Sacré-Cœur at a municipal venue in Marseille was cancelled in an attempt to enforce secularism rules, a decision later found by the Marseille Administrative Court to constitute a serious and unlawful restriction on freedom of expression.
On 22 October 2025, the city of Marseille cancelled a scheduled screening of the film Sacré-Cœur at the Château de la Buzine, a municipal cultural venue, approximately one hour before the event was due to begin.
The decision was taken by the mayor of Marseille, Benoît Payan, and justified on the grounds that the screening would constitute a breach of the principle of secularism under the 1905 French law on the separation of Church and State, as the venue is publicly operated and subject to strict neutrality requirements. The cancellation affected several planned screenings of the film at the venue between 22 and 28 October 2025.
In response, political figures criticised the decision. Franck Allisio, a candidate for mayor of Marseille, stated that “we brandish secularism when it comes to Christianity.” Separately, Steven Gunnell, a Catholic convert, said: “I can see a numbness among Christians: they fear too much. We have to invest in the city. Let’s take out the cross and show it.”
Following the cancellation, legal proceedings were initiated by Senator Stéphane Ravier, who referred the matter to the Marseille Administrative Court through an emergency “summary procedure”, a legal mechanism used in cases alleging a serious and immediate violation of fundamental freedoms. The applicants argued that the municipality’s decision unlawfully restricted freedom of expression and access to a cultural event in a publicly funded venue.
On 25 October 2025, the court ruled against the municipality, finding that the cancellation constituted a “serious and manifestly illegal attack on freedom of expression.” The court further held that the restrictions imposed by the city of Marseille were not justified under the principle of secularism, particularly given that the film remained legally available in private cinemas and that its content did not amount to religious endorsement by a public authority. As a result, the court ordered the city of Marseille to reschedule the screening, effectively overturning the municipal decision.
Source: LeFigaro, Actu.fr, LeJDD
Photo: Allocine