A week after the publication of a column in Le Figaro in support of actor Gérard Depardieu, indicted for rape and sexual assault, more than 150 personalities, particularly from the world of culture, react in a new column, published in Release Monday 1er January.
“In the name of art, certain voices are raised to defend Gérard Depardieu, insinuating that his talent should shield him from any criticism, and even excuse him for his intolerable behavior. All this will not be in our name,” they write, believing that “art is not a totem of impunity”.
“We are not attacking the art that is dear to us: on the contrary, we want to protect it, firmly refusing to allow it to serve as a pretext for abuse of power, harassment or sexual violence”, continue the signatories. The text was signed, among others, by the director Monia Chokri, the playwright Rébecca Chaillon, the comedians Anne Roumanoff and Waly Dia, the actresses Murielle Robin and Alexandra Lamy, as well as the activist against police violence Assa Traoré and the dancer Keiona.
Support for victims
The forum also underlines the importance of supporting victims of gender-based and sexual violence. “ Art must never lead us to look away from the suffering of victims, whether famous or anonymous, and talent does not justify the transgression of limits and the attack on the integrity of others. »
The signatories add that it is “ imperative to recognize the courage of survivors who brave stigma and doubts to denounce abuse, even within a society in which they have nothing to gain, and sometimes even everything to lose. Their voices deserve to be heard, believed, and supported. »
Finally, in response to Emmanuel Macron’s comments, the signatories end by affirming: “ The France that makes us proud does not fight for the right to annoy, it is on the side of the alleged victims. »
Several columns published
At the beginning of December, the program “Complément d’investigation” broadcast images where the actor made numerous misogynistic and insulting remarks aimed at women. In the controversy that followed, Emmanuel Macron denounced on December 20 a ” manhunt “ against the actor, and considered that he made “proud France”.
On Christmas Eve, sixty actors expressed their support for Gérard Depardieu in the column published in THE Figaro. The text, signed among others by Carole Bouquet, Nadine Trintignant and Gérard Darmon, states that “when we attack Depardieu in this way, it is art that we attack”.
Several of the signatories have dissociated themselves since the publication because it was an almost unknown actor but close to the identity and reactionary spheres, Yannis Ezziadi, who was at the initiative.
Many other artists have signed a “counter-tribune” For “manifest [leur] disagree with this idea ». The text, carried by the collective Brains not availablecollected some 8,000 signatures in 48 hours.
Another critical petition, titled “Address to the old world”was published Sunday on the website of Médiapart with some 70 signatures from cinema personalities, including Laure Calamy and Anouk Grinberg.