While the César ceremony takes place this Friday, February 23, the Minister of Culture welcomes and encourages the freedom of speech in French cinema, relaunched in particular thanks to the testimony of actress Judith Godrèche.
The César ceremony, which will take place this Friday, February 23, will undoubtedly be marked by the recent freedom of speech within French cinema. “Today, an entire system is becoming aware of its collective blindness, a blindness that has lasted for years,” denounced the Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, in the columns of the magazine Le Film français, this Friday February 23. Saluting the testimony and courage of the actress Judith Godrechewho has become the spearhead of French #MeToo, the LR mayor of the 7th arrondissement of Paris hopes that “it is a profound questioning that is opening up for French cinema”, reports franceinfo.
The actress filed a complaint against directors Jacques Doillon and Benoît Jacquot for sexual and physical violence during her adolescence. Aged 15, she maintained a relationship with the latter while he was approaching 40 years old. “[Elle] said such simple things. She said: ‘I was a child. You saw everything and no one said anything, no one reached out to me,'” recalls Rachida Dati. “It’s not a reality that I’m discovering today. It’s not for nothing that I became a magistrate. These crimes, when they are not prescribed, which is unfortunately often the case, must be punished.”
People accused of violence removed from the Caesars
As the ceremony approached, Judith Godrèche’s speech caused a reaction. Actress Nora Hamzawi opposed the release of Jacques Doillon’s latest film, CE2, in which she plays one of the main roles. Isild Le Besco, actress and director, declared this week that she was probably thinking of filing a complaint, like Judith Godrèche, against Benoît Jacquot and Jacques Doillon. Last year, via a press release, the Academy of Caesars announced its decision to exclude from the ceremony all people accused of acts of violence. A decision reinforced this year.