AFP, published on Tuesday, October 25, 2022 at 11:15 p.m. The Comédie-Française and the Pathé cinemas are the subject of a lawsuit for copyright infringement after the performance of a new version of “Tartuffe” by Molière, we have learned from the plaintiff on Tuesday. Jean-Paul Carminati, the lawyer for the author of this version, Georges Forestier, confirmed to AFP information from the investigation unit of Radio France, revealing this dispute. The Comédie-Française has indicated in a press release Tuesday evening by the voice of his lawyer Me Julien Guinot-Deléry, not “to subscribe to the claims of Mr. Forestier, which are not in conformity with the reality of his work on Tartuffe and the way in which this work has always been presented “.”The Comédie-Française sincerely regrets this situation, although it has always acted in consultation and in total transparency with Mr Forestier, whose work as a theater historian it has also largely participated in disseminating” , he adds.The trial p orte on “Le Tartuffe ou l’Hypocrite”, a reconstruction by M. Forestier, academic and Molière specialist, of the probable text of the original version of the famous play. In 1664, Molière had signed a version in three acts, performed before Louis XIV but quickly banned by the king, who found it subversive. Tartuffe ou l’Imposteur “.”Tartuffe ou l’Hypocrite”, the text of which was published in 2021 by Portaparole editions, was represented from January to April by the Comédie-Française, directed by Ivo van Hove, with retransmissions in Pathé cinemas, without Mr. Forestier receiving royalties. Concerning the Pathé cinemas, the council of the Comédie-Française considers that “the company Pathé Live has not maintained any contractual link or any relationship with Monsieur Forestier” and “n’a vo cation to endorse any responsibility or to explain itself within the framework of this litigation. I am very surprised that we are there, having to assign the Comédie-Française and Pathé”, explained to AFP the plaintiff’s lawyer. He claimed to have tried, before going to court, a conciliation, in interpellating in particular the Ministry of Culture, without result. “All the lawyers will say it: from the moment when one arranges, where one goes up a work of the public domain, it is an original work. For the book, there is indeed a publishing contract which attests to it”, added Me Carminati. According to the latter, the defense bases its argument on an electronic message where Mr. Forestier says to put the text of the room “gracefully” available to the Comédie-Française, which historically comes from Molière’s troupe. Française simply says that this piece is in the public domain, that it’s Molière, whereas I created a work that did not exist and that they could never have played without my work. It’s upsetting,” Mr. Forestier told AFP. A first hearing in this case is scheduled for the Paris court on November 24.