Latest news with #ACIDCannes
Kuwait Times
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Kuwait Times
Film executive in Cannes accused of sexual assault during event
French MP and rapporteur of the commission, Erwan Balanant, speaks during the presentation of the final report after a several-month investigation into sexual violence in the entertainment sector, in Paris.--AFP A vice president of one of the parallel film events at the Cannes Festival was suspended Thursday after being publicly denounced for sexual violence, witnesses and organizers told AFP. During a roundtable discussion about sexual assault organized by France's film board (CNC), a woman stood up and publicly denounced an executive from the ACID Cannes film section. 'The young woman acted with great courage and was immediately taken care of by charities present,' Erwan Balanant, a French MP who was in the room, told AFP. It came as the main Cannes Festival barred a French actor from the premiere Thursday of a film in the running for the Palme d'Or top prize because he has been accused of rape by three former partners. The ACID Cannes event is not part of the official festival, but runs at the same time and has some organizational links. It showcases up-and-coming directors and more experimental cinema. 'Today, during a public roundtable, we heard testimony implicating one of our members, currently vice-president of ACID, in serious acts that could amount to sexual violence,' two other co-presidents of the organization said in a statement to AFP. They said the man had been suspended as a precautionary measure and that 'an internal investigation process has been entrusted to an external body.' The vice president cannot be named for legal reasons. Cannes has been under pressure from MPs and activists to take a tougher line on sexual violence.--AFP
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pedro Pascal and Juliette Binoche add their names to Cannes letter condemning 'genocide' in Gaza
Earlier this week, a group of more than 350 international actors, directors and producers signed a letter published on the first day of the Cannes Film Festival condemning the killing of Fatma Hassona, the 25-year-old Palestinian photojournalist and protagonist of the documentary Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk. Hassouna was killed along with 10 relatives in an Israeli air strike on her family home in northern Gaza last month, the day after the documentary was announced as part of the ACID Cannes selection. The signatories included Pedro Almodóvar, Ruben Östlund, Guy Pierce, Ralph Fiennes, Melissa Barrera, Yórgos Lánthimos, Susan Sarandon, Alfonso Cuarón and David Cronenberg. They denounced genocide in Gaza: "We cannot remain silent while genocide is taking place in Gaza," read the letter initiated by several pro-Palestinian activist groups and published in French newspaper Libération and US magazine Variety. 'We are ashamed of such passivity.' The letter also urged cinema to use its art form to 'draw lessons from history, to make films that are committed' and to be 'present to protect oppressed voices.' Now, 60 more artists and celebrities have added their names to the letter condemning the film industry for its 'silence' over the ongoing and deadly impact of Israel's military campaign in Gaza – including this year's Cannes jury president Juliette Binoche, Pedro Pascal, Guillermo del Toro, Noémie Merlant and Omar Sy. Other new signatories also include Riz Ahmed, Tomas Alfredson, Carter Burwell, Robin Campillo, Camille Cottin, Adèle Haenel, Jim Jarmusch, Michael Moore, Alice Rohrwacher and Peter Straughan. Read the full letter below: Fatma Hassona was 25 years old. She was a Palestinian freelance photojournalist. She was targeted by the Israeli army on 16 April 2025, the day after it was announced that Sepideh Farsi's film 'Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk,' in which she was the star, had been selected in the ACID section of the Cannes Film Festival. She was about to get married. Ten of her relatives, including her pregnant sister, were killed by the same Israeli strike. Since the terrible massacres of 7 October 2023, no foreign journalist has been authorised to enter the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army is targeting civilians. More than 200 journalists have been deliberately killed. Writers, film-makers and artists are being brutally murdered. At the end of March, Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal, who won an Oscar for his film 'No Other Land,' was brutally attacked by Israeli settlers and then kidnapped by the army, before being released under international pressure. The Oscar Academy's lack of support for Hamdan Ballal sparked outrage among its own members and it had to publicly apologize for its inaction. We are ashamed of such passivity. Why is it that cinema, a breeding ground for socially committed works, seems to be so indifferent to the horror of reality and the oppression suffered by our sisters and brothers? As artists and cultural players, we cannot remain silent while genocide is taking place in Gaza and this unspeakable news is hitting our communities hard. What is the point of our professions if not to draw lessons from history, to make films that are committed, if we are not present to protect oppressed voices? Why this silence? The far right, fascism, colonialism, anti-trans and anti-LGBTQIA+, sexist, racist, islamophobic and antisemitic movements are waging their battle on the battlefield of ideas, attacking publishing, cinema and universities, and that's why we have a duty to fight. Let's refuse to let our art be an accomplice to the worst. Let us rise up. Let us name reality. Let us collectively dare to look at it with the precision of our sensitive hearts, so that it can no longer be silenced and covered up. Let us reject the propaganda that constantly colonizes our imaginations and makes us lose our sense of humanity. For Fatma, for all those who die in indifference. Cinema has a duty to carry their messages, to reflect our societies. Let's act before it's too late. When asked about the open letter at the Cultural Council in Brussels earlier this week, French minister of culture Rachida Dati told Euronews: 'It is their role to engage and to have a commitment. I believe that culture and politics go hand in hand. It can be exceptional, when we are committed to creative freedom - because as you know, at the moment there are more and more attacks on creativity. That's why I want to create a senior civil servant for creative freedom.' She added: 'I have taken measures to prevent these attacks on creativity, including many programmers and curators who no longer want to select films. There is more and more self-censorship when it comes to programming. And so, we have to commit to this freedom of creation, we have to prevent obstacles to the freedom of creation, and artists have a role to play in taking sides, in mobilising in relation to what is happening in the world.' Concluding, she shared: 'Personally, I'd be very surprised if the cultural and artistic players weren't mobilised and committed. That's what culture and politics are for. It is said that music softens morals - culture can also save the world. So, I think that everyone is doing their part.'
Hindustan Times
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Woman accuses film executive in Cannes of sexual assault during event, actor banned from red carpet over rape accusation
A vice president of one of the parallel film events at the Cannes Festival was suspended Thursday after being publicly denounced for sexual violence, witnesses and organisers told AFP. During a roundtable discussion about sexual assault organised by France's film board (CNC), a woman stood up and publicly denounced an executive from the ACID Cannes film section. "The young woman acted with great courage and was immediately taken care of by charities present," Erwan Balanant, a French MP who was in the room, told AFP. It came as the main Cannes Festival barred a French actor from the premiere Thursday of a film in the running for the Palme d'Or top prize because he has been accused of rape by three former partners. The ACID Cannes event is not part of the official festival, but runs at the same time and has some organisational links. It showcases up-and-coming directors and more experimental cinema. "Today, during a public roundtable, we heard testimony implicating one of our members, currently vice-president of ACID, in serious acts that could amount to sexual violence," two other co-presidents of the organisation said in a statement to AFP. They said the man had been suspended as a precautionary measure and that "an internal investigation process has been entrusted to an external body." The vice president cannot be named for legal reasons. Cannes has been under pressure from MPs and activists to take a tougher line on sexual violence.
Egypt Today
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Egypt Today
Egyptian Filmmakers Shine Bright at Cannes Film Festival as Morad Mostafa, Sawsan Youssef, Ali El Arabi, and Namir Abdel Messeeh Lead the Way
The 78th edition of the world's most prestigious film festival, Cannes, continues its activities, and this year marks a distinguished presence for Egyptian cinema through two authentic contributions that reflect the evolution of Egypt's independent film scene and its growing role in global cinema. 1. Morad Mostafa and Sawsan Youssef – Aisha Can't Fly Away (Un Certain Regard Section) Director Morad Mostafa brings Egyptian cinema back to the Un Certain Regard section after a nine-year absence. The last Egyptian film to feature in this category was Mohamed Diab's Clash, starring Nelly Karim. Aisha Can't Fly Away tells the story of Aisha, a young African migrant living in Cairo. The film follows her journey within the African migrant community and the challenges she faces while working in the healthcare sector. The film stars Pollyanna Simon, Ziad Zaza, Emad Ghoneim, and Mamdouh Saleh, and is produced by Sawsan Youssef. 2. Namir Abdel Messeeh and Ali El Arabi – The Life After Siham (ACID Cannes Official Selection) The second notable Egyptian entry is the documentary The Life After Siham, written and directed by Namir Abdel Messeeh. It has been selected for the official competition of the ACID Cannes section—one of the festival's parallel programs. Established 33 years ago, ACID is known for its artistically curated selections by leading filmmakers from around the world. The film is produced by Ambient Light, a company founded by Egyptian director and producer Ali El Arabi. Told in the first person, the film follows Namir's emotional journey as he confronts grief after the loss of his mother. Spanning more than ten years, the documentary traces his development as an artist, his struggle to accept loss, and his effort to transform pain into a cinematic tribute that honors his mother's memory and his family's legacy, while exploring a past marked by separation and exile.
Straits Times
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Cannes Film Festival bars Dossier 137 actor accused of rape in new #MeToo policy
Actor Theo Navarro-Mussy, who plays a police officer in a supporting role in the film Dossier 137 by Dominik Moll, was absent from the movie's premiere at Cannes. PHOTO: AFP CANNES, France - The Cannes film festival barred an actor in a prominent French film from the red carpet on May 15 because of sexual assault allegations, unveiling a new policy under pressure from lawmakers and activists. Theo Navarro-Mussy plays a police officer in a supporting role in the film Dossier 137 by Dominik Moll, which premiered on May 15 in the festival's main competition. According to French magazine Telerama, which broke the news, three former partners accused the actor of rapes in 2018, 2019, and 2020 but the case was dropped in April for lack of evidence. The three plaintiffs, all actors themselves, told Telerama they planned to appeal and file a civil lawsuit. Cannes Festival director Thierry Fremaux confirmed to Telerama that Navarro-Mussy had been excluded from the world's premier film festival because an appeal was under way. 'The judicial process is still ongoing,' Fremaux was quoted as saying, in remarks confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson. The treatment of Navarro-Mussy - if it becomes the basis of a consistent policy - would imply that any actor or director under active investigation for sexual assault would be excluded. It would align Cannes with the Cesar Awards, France's equivalent of the Oscars, which announced in January 2023 that nominees convicted of or under investigation for sexual assault would be barred. Navarro-Mussy, 34, who had a breakthrough role in the French medical TV drama Hippocrate, denies the allegations but he told Telerama he understood the decision by festival organisers. He did not join his co-stars including renowned French actress Lea Drucker on May 15 as they made their way up the red carpet to the premiere. Inquiry Elsewhere on May 15, a vice-president of one of the parallel film sections at Cannes was suspended after being publicly denounced for sexual violence during an event. The executive from the ACID Cannes section has been suspended pending an investigation, the organisation said. In the past, Fremaux has sought to avoid taking a clear stance on the numerous sexual assault cases that have dogged figures in the film industry, particularly since the #MeToo movement. He faced criticism from some activists in 2023 over the choice of the film Jeanne Du Barry to open the festival, which starred Johnny Depp. The movie marked Depp's comeback after a toxic court battle with ex-wife Amber Heard that revealed his turbulent private life involving alcohol, drugs and domestic abuse allegations. The #MeToo movement shook the French film industry from 2017, as it did Hollywood, exposing widespread sexual misconduct and challenging a long-standing culture of silence. Renowned French actress Lea Drucker attending the premiere of Dossier 137 at Cannes on May 15. PHOTO: EPA-EFE A recent French parliamentary inquiry into the entertainment industry, sparked by allegations of sexual abuse by actor Judith Godreche, found that the mistreatment of performers was 'endemic'. Inquiry chair Sandrine Rousseau, an outspoken feminist lawmaker from the Green party, called on the Cannes Festival to set an example when the findings were published in April. 'The Cannes Film Festival must be the place where this shift in mindset happens,' she said. 'Worried' Navarro-Mussy said he was 'worried' about his career, adding that he hoped the fact the case against him had been closed was 'taken into account'. 'I have explained myself to the justice system and at this stage have been cleared,' he told Telerama. His lawyer said that he had not been notified of any appeal against the decision to close the investigation. Moll, the director of Dossier 137, told AFP he was unaware of the allegations against the actor before starting to work with Navarro-Mussy 'and during the film nothing happened'. Moll's prize-winning previous film, The Night Of The 12th, tackled the issue of violence against women. He said he was 'very sensitive to this issue'. Allegations of rape between partners are among the most difficult to prove, meaning prosecutors rarely take them to court unless there is clear evidence. French screen legend Gerard Depardieu was handed an 18-month suspended sentence on the opening day of the Cannes film festival this year after being convicted of sexually assaulting two women on a film set in 2021. In other firsts at Cannes this year, the festival announced a new dress code that outlaws extravagantly large outfits that clog up the red carpet as well as 'total nudity'. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
