“When we attack Depardieu, it would be art that we are attacking! » Five days after publication in Le Figaro from a platform in support of the actor, indicted for rape and sexual assault, six hundred artists signed a “counter-tribune” to “demonstrate [leur] disagree with this idea. The text, published by the collective Brains not available Friday December 29 and relayed on the Mediapart Clubis initialed in particular by the singer Pomme, the actress Judith Chemla, the activist Rokhaya Diallo or the rapper Médine and intends to break “the law of silence” And “the echo of impunity”.
“This platform and Macron’s defense are spitting in the face of the victims of Gérard Depardieu but also of all victims of sexist and sexual violence. It is the sinister and perfect illustration of the world before which refuses to let things change”, castigate its signatories. Presenting himself as “a great admirer of Gérard Depardieu”Emmanuel Macron had estimated that the actor “makes France proud” and denounced “a manhunt”.
“We too want justice to do its job. This is what feminists have always demanded. But faced with the lack of listening and taking victims seriously within police and judicial institutions, it is everyone’s duty to refuse the trivialization of comments and actions such as those of Gérard Depardieu.”they say.
The six hundred artists argue “that art does not have to be made by idols outside of reality, art is not on the side of the whims of stars. Art refuses to submit to their system.” And to conclude: “The production of art is not an abstraction located outside of social dynamics. »
Supporters of Depardieu display their discomfort
Since the platform in support of Gérard Depardieu was posted online, several signatories have expressed their discomfort after discovering the profile of its initiator, without withdrawing their initials. “I signed a column for Gérard Depardieu. However, I do not support the ideas and values associated with the journalist carrying this column. Giving him visibility through Gérard makes me, as you can imagine, deeply uncomfortable”, said actress Carole Bouquet on Instagram.
The actor and director Yvan Attal also recognized ” a faintness “ about this platform that he signed although it did not suit him ” not entirely “. “I didn’t sign (…) against women »he clarified to BFM-TVbut Gérard Depardieu “has the right not to be publicly lynched (…) we must let justice speak”. The actor Gérard Darmon, on RTL, for his part regretted the content of the signed text. “Be careful not to say that by touching Depardieu we are touching art. (…) This is bullshit”he admitted.
Charlotte Arnould, who filed a complaint against Gérard Depardieu, leading to his indictment in 2020 for rape and sexual assault, is not among the signatories of the counter-tribunal. The actress thanked on Instagram those who support her during this period: “I blame the blows (…) it’s not in great shape. » And responded to the discomfort expressed by Carole Bouquet after signing the petition: “You had to think about it first, right? ! »