Monaco to celebrate Marcel Pagnol on 16 April 2024

The year 2024 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Marcel Pagnol (1895-1964), who was a regular resident of the Principality from 1943 until the death of his daughter Estelle, aged three, in 1954.

A friend of Prince Pierre (1895-1964) and confidant of Prince Rainier III (1923-2005), Pagnol displayed all aspects of his talent in the Principality. He created a play there in 1926, Jazz, and organised the premiere of his film, Topaze, in 1951. As Honorary Consul of Portugal, he took part in all the major dynastic events: the 25th anniversary of the reign of Prince Louis II in 1947, his funeral, and the accession and marriage of Prince Rainier III. A member of the Literary Council since its creation in 1950, he chaired the jury for the first television festival in 1961. He worked on his plays with amateur actors from the Studio de Monaco, and collaborated with a Monegasque publisher, Clément Pastorelly, on the publication of his works.

Alongside the events to be organised in France, and in Provence in particular, H.S.H. the Sovereign Prince wanted a day of tribute to be devoted to this eminent man of letters, in order to introduce new generations to his work. In agreement with the Pagnol family, this day will take place on 16th April 2024, two days before the anniversary of the writer's death on 18th April 1974.

At 11am, Prince Albert II will pay public tribute, in the presence of schoolchildren, in front of the stele in the Marcel Pagnol square in the Trocadéro Gardens.

At 3pm, a round table will be held at the Théâtre des Variétés. Organised by the Archives du Palais and the Audiovisual Institute, the theme will be "Pagnol le Monégasque". The speakers will be joined by the writer's grandson, Nicolas Pagnol, and will introduce the public to previously unseen archives and audiovisual documents, personal accounts, readings and theatre scenes performed by actors from the Studio de Monaco.

At 8pm, the Institut audiovisuel's "Tout l'art du cinéma" programme will present the restored version of La Femme du boulanger (1938).
On Friday 19 and Saturday 20 April, two performances of extracts from Marcel Pagnol's theatrical repertoire will be given by the Studio de Monaco, again at the Théâtre des Variétés.

An 80-page illustrated special edition will be published on the occasion of this fiftieth anniversary by the Nice-Matin group, including a chapter on Pagnol's links with the Principality, and will be distributed from 28 February.

This tribute day is supported by the Princely Government (Department of Cultural Affairs, Department of National Education, Youth and Sport) and brings together, around the Palace Archives and the Audiovisual Institute, the Prince Pierre Foundation, the Studio de Monaco, the Médiathèque de Monaco and the Television Festival.