The 77th Cannes Film Festival is about to kick off on May 14, local time, and many filmmakers have already arrived. However, the layers of haze hanging over the French Riviera show no signs of receding.
Just last weekend, at least 300 filmmakers, including directors Jean-Pierre Dardenne, John Landis, Louis Garrel, etc., issued a joint open letter supporting previous film festival staff’s claims that they would strike action. The open letter was drafted by the "Below the Screen" organization behind the strike. Signatories also include Thomas Hakim, the producer of this year's Cannes main competition film "The Light of Imagination", and photographer Agnès Go Dahl et al.
On the other hand, a series of highly controversial sex scandals have erupted in the French film industry since last year. From the well-known actor Gerard Depardieu to many well-known directors, many women have been accused of real-name accusations; and people from all walks of life, including President Macron, have chosen to take sides, creating a certain division in the French film industry.
Judith Godreche's short film "Me Too" will be screened in Cannes
As the biggest annual event in the French and even European film circles, the Cannes Film Festival cannot be alone. Last week, the festival organizers announced that actress Judith Godresh's short film "Moi Aussi" (Me Too) will be screened at the opening ceremony of the Un Certain Regard section on May 15. The film is exactly what it said. It is the painful memory of being sexually assaulted by two famous directors, Benoit Jacques and Jacques Duvallon, when she was young. The official press release from the Cannes Film Festival stated that it hopes to "give voice to these witness testimonies" by screening the film.
Later, rumors emerged in the French media and on the Internet that during the current Cannes Film Festival, more explosive sex scandals may be exposed, and more heavyweights in the film industry may be the target of accusations. "Le Figaro" even published an investigative article titled "#metoo: The film industry is in a cold sweat before the Cannes Film Festival", revealing that there may be as many as a dozen famous French directors during the film festival , actors and producers will be publicly accused, but the article did not specifically name them. As a result, the outside world can't help but speculate. If this is true, how will the film festival organizers respond? Should we make an emergency cut, put the person involved on the persona non grata list, and cancel the screening of his film in Cannes? Or should we settle the matter and pretend not to see it?
On the other hand, in June, shortly after the Cannes Film Festival, Dominique Boutonnat, the head of the French Film Bureau - the French National Center for Cinema and Animation (cnc) - will appear in court for trial. The crime was that of sexually assaulting his godson. Although some people believe that everyone should adhere to the position of acquitting the guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and not make prejudgments on behalf of the law, there are also many people in the film industry who believe that in order to avoid being ruined, Butona must keep a low profile. They even say that he should have done so long ago. It's only right to take a back seat until the trial begins. Therefore, he will definitely not be able to appear at Cannes this year.
Judith Godreche, who has become the banner figure of the anti-sexual assault movement in the French film industry, also publicly stated in a speech to the French Congress before that, "There must be someone with a clean financial background and no blame to lead the film bureau, because This industry is already terminally ill.” On the afternoon of May 12, local time, a petition calling for Boutonne’s dismissal spread rapidly in the French film industry and received more than 500 signatures within a few hours.
In the face of many controversies, Cannes Film Festival President Iris Knobloch accepted an interview with the media last week, saying that she was "paying close attention to the development of the situation" if anyone was indeed accused publicly during the festival. For crimes of sexual violence, "We will ensure that we make the right decision based on the specific circumstances after consulting with all parties, including the parties involved. But we will also consider the work itself to see what is most beneficial to the film itself. , because in Cannes, the movies are the real stars."As for the claim in the "Le Figaro" report that the current chairman, who is a lawyer, has found a new crisis management public relations company for Cannes to cope with the coming storm, Knobloch himself has not done so. Positive response.
In addition, Knobloch also reiterated that Cannes has been committed to increasing the participation of female filmmakers. However, of the 22 films in the main competition this year, only 4 were directed by women, compared with a total of 21 films last year. There are as many as seven films directed by women in the main competition, which can be said to be a big step backward. Regarding this issue, the chairman emphasized that he and the artistic director Fumao do not support the introduction of a quota system and the forced allocation of quotas. " Because the quota system is a double-edged sword. If it is not done well, it will make female filmmakers feel that their self-esteem is hurt. Therefore, we must stick to our responsibilities and make film selection decisions based entirely on the quality of the films themselves. "
Iris Knobloch, 61, will succeed Pierre Lescure in July 2022 and become the president of the Cannes Film Festival for a three-year term. She has served as Warner Bros. Pictures As CEO, she also said in an interview last week that being appointed to this position is every movie lover’s dream, especially since she is the first woman to hold this position. “This is almost a double dream come true. Women have waited 75 years for this moment, and its symbolic meaning is very strong. Last year, when I officially performed my duties for the first time, many female compatriots expressed their support for me. This feels good and is a positive signal. Many people have told me that me being able to hold this position is an inspiration to them and makes them proud. Apparently, there is a real lack of women in Cannes. "
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