Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Angoulême, france

Angoulême Comics Festival Faces Collapse As "Chloé" Speaks Out

Angoulême Comics Festival continues to face an imminent collapse as "Chloé" speaks out on French television

The International Comics Festival of Angoulême (FIBD), long hailed as Europe's premier comic book event, is teetering on the brink of cancellation for its 2026 edition. Bleeding Cool previously covered the latest news with creators and publishers pulling out and boycotting the show, the national government withdrawing funding, and local government calling for the show to be abandoned over a mix of issues, from corruption to mismanagement to sexual assault.

On Friday, Élise Bouché-Tran, the former communications manager for organiser 9e Art+ and previously known as "Chloé", appeared on television, speaking with France 3 about her ordeal. Bouché-Tran has stated that she was drugged and sexually assaulted by a colleague during the show this year, before being fired two months later in March 2025 for "serious misconduct," a decision that she directly links to her complaint. She states that she was referred to the head of human resources, who she says suggested she take the morning-after pill, without offering any further support, and that she "was asked to continue working with him." For a year, she testified anonymously, using the name "Chloé" but she believes her identity was already widely known within the community, saying that "Everyone knew it was me" and talks about isolation from colleagues, a descent into depression, and a complete severance from the comics world she once loved, saying "It really broke my career."

The Angoulême prosecutor's office has launched a formal investigation into the assault, but 9e Art+, led by still-present and embattled director Franck Bondoux, insists the dismissal was unrelated, citing "behaviour incompatible with the company's image." Critics, including unions and creators, describe this as retaliation, pointing to a pattern of silencing dissent. Le Monde noted that the company's 20-year contract with the festival's owning association has fostered a "brutal management" culture, where financial opacity and power imbalances thrive unchecked. Bouché's revelations, first hinted at in earlier L'Humanité reporting, galvanised the "Girlcott" movement, a women-led boycott echoing the 2016 gender parity scandals that nearly derailed the festival.

The funders, including the city, department, region, and state, cited the "massive boycott" from over 2,500 signatories, including Grand Prix winners Anouk Ricard, Art Spiegelman, and Posy Simmonds, and the withdrawal of key publishers like Dargaud, Dupuis, and Glénat. The Syndicat National de l'Édition (SNE) echoed this in Libération, warning that without creators and exhibitors, the event "will no longer be able to take place," which would devastate local businesses and the Charente economy.

This came hot on the heels of the French Culture Ministry's 200,000 euro funding cut for 2025 "shortcomings," a move Le Figaro reported as a direct rebuke to 9e Art+'s governance. Despite the ministry's public plea to salvage the 53rd edition, funders are pivoting to the Association for the Development of Comics in Angoulême (ADBD) for a post-2027 overhaul, potentially shifting the event beyond January dates.

Tickets remain on sale for the show amid the chaos, with Le Figaro reporting that locals are mourning a potential ghost town, as the 200,000 visitors fuel hotels, shops, and jobs. However, they also acknowledge the need for change. France 3 also highlighted smaller festivals, like Festival BD Colomiers, which are running this weekend without such drama, and emphasise young creators over star power. Might this be the future?

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