“It is revolting that theater and cinema serve as a cover for abuses that have nothing to do with art”: a hundred men from the world of culture including director Jacques Audiard provide their support to the MeToo movement . The column, published Tuesday on the Elle magazine website, was initiated by the mathematician Michel Broué, companion of Anouk Grinberg.
“For several years the revolution has been spreading
This is signed in particular by the actors Reda Kateb, Swann Arlaud, Mathieu Amalric, the directors Jacques Audiard (whose film Emilia Perez will be in competition at Cannes) and Emmanuel Mouret, the directors Alain Françon, Thomas Jolly (also director artist of the ceremonies of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris), the historian Benjamin Stora, the journalist Edwy Plenel…
“Contrary to what we sometimes read, we do not think that ‘we are attacking men’. The practice of equality is desirable, it takes away neither freedom nor pleasure but increases them; it beautifies relationships,” they express. Before adding: “We refuse to recognize ourselves in this hegemonic masculinity. For example, having to reserve gentleness and care for the feminine gender is absurd: a man cries, a man loves, a man can be upset.”
For the signatories, “it is revolting that theater and cinema serve as a cover for abuses that have nothing to do with art.” Likewise, “it is revolting to use one’s prestige, whatever it may be, to abuse the admiration it arouses.” At stake according to them: “Sparing more than half of humanity from serious attacks.”
The cinema industry has been shaken for several months by accusations of sexual violence which allegedly took place for years. Actress Judith Godrèche became a spearhead of this movement, after filing a complaint in early February against directors Benoît Jacquot and Jacques Doillon, for sexual and physical violence dating back to her adolescence, which the latter deny.