The setbacks of Just for Laughs could lead to the cancellation of shows and at least one TV series, in addition to the festival, which will officially not take place this year. Artists who were already under contract with Just for Laughs risk never being paid. At least that’s what the president of the Union of Artists (UDA), Tania Kontoyanni, fears, who has difficulty explaining why a heavily subsidized company could today be on the verge of bankruptcy.
“When a production company protects itself from creditors, the Union des artistes is always included on the list of creditors. This is what we will do in the coming days. But we have no illusions. Artists never see the color of their money again. On the list of creditors, we always come last, well after the banks, who nevertheless need money so much more than the artists,” said M in a sarcastic tone.me Kontoyanni in an interview given Thursday to Duty.
Invoking the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act on Tuesday, the Just for Laughs Group announced the cancellation of the next edition of its festival, both its French and English sections, Just for Laughs. “For several artists, losing a contract like this is a big hole in the annual budget,” lamented the president of the UDA.
The fate of the musical Waitress, whose distribution had already been announced, is also still uncertain. Same for the TV series Raw, with Ève Côté and Marilyne Joncas, whose filming was to begin soon. Just for Laughs also ceases to produce several current shows, including those by Louis T and Jean-Sébastien Girard. All the artists who were part of the Just for Laughs team have already indicated their intention to find a solution to continue their tour.
“We hear that other producers would like to resume shows and that artists could take on their own production. So much the better if it works, but we know that it’s sometimes more complicated than that. We remain on the lookout if shows are canceled,” underlines Tania Kontoyanni.
“Strange” situation
Mme Kontoyanni has been involved with the UDA since 2017. In seven years, she cannot remember such a large production company that has placed itself sheltered from its creditors. “Production companies that go bankrupt are often small companies that were created specifically for a rather niche project and are then unable to pay the artists. It’s extremely rare for companies of the size of Just for Laughs. It’s actually quite strange what’s happening at the moment,” she says.
The president of the Union of Artists recalls that “producers in Quebec take moderate financial risks”, thanks to the various subsidy programs. How did a company the size of Just For Laughs end up in such a mess? According to her, the company’s financial difficulties have the merit of raising certain broader questions about the way in which aid is distributed in the cultural sector.
“It’s the citizen’s money, all the same. We need to take a closer look at how it is managed. Maybe I’m naive, but I don’t think there are illegal things going on. On the other hand, I see things that are more or less ethical. A producer who puts money in his pockets, there is currently very little recourse against that,” says Mme Kontoyanni, who challenged the Legault government on this subject in an open letter two weeks ago.