“Pecause we thought the exclusion of the artist and his death sentence were over, allow me to read you a few lines. » Awarded for her performance in the biopic Camille Claudel, Isabelle Adjani went up to the stage of the Théâtre de l’Empire in March 1989 to receive her César for best actress. As a speech of thanks, the actress, then aged 33, chose to read an extract from satanic verses (1988), work by Salman Rushdie. Since the publication of this book, romanticizing the life of the Prophet Muhammad, the writer has been the target of a fatwa from Iran. After his assault on Friday in New York State, this footage from the 14e Cesar ceremony has resurfaced on social networks. Thirty years after this reading, Isabelle Adjani reiterates her support for the author with the ParisianSaturday, August 13.
The actress first remembers “the words of sorority” of Simone Veil, her seat neighbor, during this high mass of French cinema. His “best memory” of this evening, says Isabelle Adjani. “An artist is to be tirelessly defended. When the artist is oppressed, everyone’s freedom is threatened”, she says, before inviting the reading of a letter she wrote to Salman Rushdie in 2018, as part of of the show The Great Bookstore on France 5. A text, “alas, too current”.
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Unable to be present on the set, Isabelle Adjani had recorded a few words for Salman Rushdie for the purposes of the program presented by François Busnel. In voiceover, she then thanked the writer for having “opened our eyes to the imminence of the danger of a reign of terror” and saluted his “tremendous visionary courage”. “You write so that we can remain free”, assured in her message the actress. In response, the writer had let it be known that he remembered “very well the words of Isabelle Adjani” in his defense.
Isabelle Adjani, César 1989 for Best Actress in CAMILLE CLAUDEL from Académie des César on Vimeo.