Rima Abdul Malak

Rima Abdul Malak
Born	(1979-02-11) February 11, 1979 Beirut, Lebanon
Nationality	French and Lebanese
Occupation	Politician
Years active	2001–present
Known for	Minister of Culture of France (2022–2024)

Rima Abdul Malak (; born 11 February 1979) is a French political figure who held the position of Minister of Culture within the administration led by Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne from May 2022 until January 2024.

Early life

Born on 11 February 1979 in Beirut to a Lebanese family, Abdul Malak's family fled Lebanon during the Lebanese Civil War when she was ten years old. She possesses both French and Lebanese nationality.

Her education includes attendance at the Lycee International de Lyon followed by studies at the Institute of Political Studies in Lyon, from which she graduated in 1999. The following year, she completed a DESS in Development and International Cooperation at Pantheon-Sorbonne University in Paris.

Early career

Between 2001 and 2006, Abdul Malak managed programs for Clowns sans Frontières, delivering psychosocial assistance to children impacted by humanitarian emergencies. She contributed to the organization's publication J'ai 10 ans and coordinated benefit performances featuring artists such as Matthieu Chedid.

In 2008, she took on the role of live performance advisor to Christophe Girard, then Deputy of Culture, advancing to director of his cabinet in 2010. Her responsibilities included reforming theater policies, revitalizing management practices, and facilitating the inauguration of cultural spaces like Centquatre and Gaite-Lyrique. She also played a key role in organizing the Estates General of the Night.

From 2012 through 2014, Abdul Malak served as cultural advisor to Mayor of Paris Bertrand Delanoë, contributing to initiatives such as the Philharmonie project, the creation of Paris Musees which unified fourteen city museums, reopening Louxor - Palais du Cinema, expanding library services, and supporting the Nuit Blanche event.

As cultural attaché at the Consulate General of France, New York City from 2014 to 2018, she promoted French artists across the United States through festivals like TILT and events including Nights of Philosophy and Albertine Books. Additionally, she oversaw FACE Foundation grants supporting contemporary art and music.

Between 2019 and 2022, Abdul Malak acted as advisor on cultural affairs and communications to President Emmanuel Macron, succeeding Claudia Ferrazzi. During this period, she spearheaded the introduction of a "white year" for intermittents du spectacle in response to challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, she was mentioned as a potential candidate for Minister of Culture following Franck Riester's tenure.

Political career

In May 2022, Abdul Malak was named Minister of Culture in the Élisabeth Borne administration. She appointed Emmanuel Marcovitch as her chief of staff.

During her tenure, her priorities included safeguarding "cultural sovereignty," enhancing artistic education investment, and integrating ecological considerations into cultural policies. Working alongside Minister of National Education Pap Ndiaye, she advanced a policy emphasizing recognition of historical memories aligned with President Emmanuel Macron’s perspective: "It is neither a policy of repentance nor a policy of denial, it is a policy of recognition."

Controversies

Shortly after assuming office, Abdul Malak declared her decision to maintain Dominique Boutonnat as head of the National Center for Cinema and the Moving Image despite his indictment for sexual assault. She justified this stance by invoking "the presumption of innocence" and underscored his leadership during crises as well as his initiatives against sexual violence.

At the closing ceremony of the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, Abdul Malak voiced being "stunned" by filmmaker Justine Triet's Palme d'Or acceptance speech, which generated debate. Subsequently, she criticized the speech for its "far-left ideological background," labeling it "ungrateful and unjust." Furthermore, allegations arose accusing her of blocking Triet’s film from France’s Academy Awards submission in favor of The Taste of Things.