The French film industry is bracing itself for further #MeToo-related revelations about multiple male actors, directors and producers following weeks of rumours and unsubstantiated reports.
They have culminated in a report in Le Figaro newspaper this week headlined, ’#MeToo: before the Cannes film festival, the film industry is in a cold sweat’.
Le Figaro claimed top talent “are losing sleep over it” and that “entire artistic teams are trembling” in fear their films will be overshadowed by such allegations. Cannes president Iris Knobloch told Le Figaro she and her team were maintaining “reinforced vigilance” and the festival was being advised by an unnamed external crisis management agency.
According to the newspaper, depending on the gravity of the accusations, a film could be disqualified from the Competition or an actor, director or producer could be asked by the festival not to attend the film’s red carpet premiere. It said in the event of an accusation, Knobloch would discuss the situation with general delegate Thierry Fremaux before calling an emergency meeting of the festival’s board of directors and make a decision on a case-by-case basis.
The festival declined to comment further when contacted by Screen.
Whether or not the rumoured exposé is published, the speculation has already made an impact ahead of the festival as agents, managers, publicists and the entire ecosystem of the films in selection are scrambling to find out what may be published – and when.
The chatter had been largely behind closed doors but some French agents have said their clients have already lost roles because producers are scared of what is coming, and buyers have expressed trepidation about investing in films after simply hearing the gossip.
As one industry executive told Screen, even if it is a false alarm, “The damage has been done.”
Another agent puts it differently: “If it does force these men – and others – to question themselves and ask if some of their past behaviour could be qualified as abuse, that’s not a bad thing.”
#MeToo in review
The latest #MeToo momentum comes amid a growing resurgence of intolerance of sexual assault of any kind in the French film industry.
Starting last year, the César academy banned any nominees who have been accused or convicted of acts of sexual violence from attending its ceremony and related events.
The CNC has been taking action to promote safe environments on set and since 2021 has conditioned financial aid on sexual harassment prevention training for all members of a production team at the start of each film shoot to prevent sexual violence of any nature on set.
After a fiery speech at the César awards in February, the movement’s unofficial French figurehead actor-director Judith Godrèche has taken her fight to the French government where, just days ago, France’s National Assembly voted to approve the launch of a commission tasked with investigating incidences of “sexual and sexist violence” in the country’s film industry and across other cultural fields. Godreche’s short film Moi Aussi (Me Too) will open Un Certain Regard.
Earlier this month, more than 100 men working in the French film world including Jacques Audiard, Abderrahmane Sissako and Mathieu Amalric penned an open letter in support of the #MeToo movement.
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