The Cannes Film Festival, like the investigative site Mediapart, responded to rumors about an alleged list of perpetrators of sexual violence floating around French cinema, falsified on social networks and disseminated by the media. The echo given to this “list” of alleged perpetrators of sexual violence threatened to become the theme of this 77th edition, which begins this Tuesday, May 14.
Mediapart, which for several years has played a central role in allowing people to talk about sexual violence, clearly denied on Monday, May 13, that it had a “list” of alleged perpetrators of assaults belonging to the film industry. And he denounced “the pathetic media spectacle” provided by those who gave him credit.
“For several days we have been witnessing, astonished, the crazy journey of the so-called ‘list’, or even ‘black list’, of perpetrators of sexist and sexual violence that Mediapart is preparing to reveal at the opening of the Cannes Film Festival,” laments the news site. .
“A rumor emanating from a conspiracy account”
“It is obviously false,” continues Mediapart, which insists on its investigative work and cross-referencing of sources. He denounces “a rumor that emerged from a conspiratorial account, spread on social networks, fed by various media outlets and that ended up on the morning news.”
In the end, “the rumor (…) offers an escape route to those who do not want to listen to Judith Godrèche, Adèle Haenel, Isild Le Besco and many others,” denounces the outlet, citing these actresses who have spoken out. to denounce sexual violence. “That they refuse to shake their certainties, to question cinema, the role of image and art in our representations and the reproduction of relations of domination and power.”
Thierry Frémaux speaks
The general delegate of the festival, Thierry Frémaux, also denied these rumors: “There are no controversies coming from the festival,” said the man who was criticized last year for having welcomed the return of Johnny Depp, after his high-profile trial against his ex. -wife Amber Heard in a context of accusations of domestic violence.
“We have precisely made sure that the main interest for which we are all here continues to be cinema,” insisted the strong man of the Festival. “Since there are no controversies, we invent them or amplify them,” he lamented.
#MeToopresent
The issue of sexual violence in cinema will, despite everything, be central in this edition of the Cannes Festival. Judith Godrèche will be present on Wednesday, May 15; The actress, who accused two auteur cinema figures, Benoît Jacquot and Jacques Doillon, of rape, will present a short film. “Me Too” occurs with a thousand victims of sexual violence who responded to her call.
In addition, actress Camille Cottin, master of ceremonies, announced “speeches from strong and powerful personalities” on the topic of sexual violence.
Furthermore, on Monday afternoon, the day before the opening of the festivalNine women, most of them anonymous, spoke in the magazine. She to accuse Alain Sarde, an important French film producer, of having raped or sexually assaulted them when they were minors or young actresses.
Source: BFM TV
