Depardieu salutes the “courage of the signatories” of the “very beautiful” platform which defends him

2023-12-26 18:26:03

By Alice Clavier

Published 3 hours ago, Updated 20 minutes ago

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The text, signed by 56 artists, is denounced by several feminist activists who see it as a maneuver. An association breaks up with Pierre Richard, one of the signatories.

A cry from the heart for “the last sacred monster of cinema”. In a column, published by Le Figaro, fifty-six artists and cultural figures defend Gérard Depardieu, indicted for rape since 2020 and at the heart of a scandal following of a report from Complément d’investigation which shows him sexualizing a child. “When we attack Gérard Depardieu like this, it is art that we attack,” affirm the signatories of the text.

A text about which Gérard Depardieu said “very happy”, as he explained Tuesday to RTL. The actor said on the phone that he found the platform “very well written”, by Yannis Ezziadi, an actor close to one of his daughters, as reported by RTL journalist Vincent Serrano. “I was presented with this letter, I thought it was beautiful and so I told its author that it could be published. he added according to RTL, specifying that he had not called anyone or asked for help from any artist. “Many refused. he adds however, greeting “the courage of the signatories”.

Also read: Indictment for rape, obscene remarks, boycott… 2023, year of the fall of Gérard Depardieu

“No one is above the law”

The day after the publication, Jack Lang expressed his friendship and admiration for his talent. “I approve of this platform”, even explained the former Minister of Culture at France Info, specifying that he could not have signed the column because it does not contain “nothing about women’s rights and insults against women”: “we must first of all not forget the fight that women are waging for their rights, against patriarchy, against male arbitrariness,” he says .

The publication of this column, however, aroused incomprehension and even anger among several activists of the feminist cause. “It’s a very educational forum, judges the president of the Women’s Foundation, Anne-Cécile Mailfert, interviewed by AFP. What we see is how an entourage will organize itself and use arguments such as “he’s a holy monster, he’s a genius” to protect someone. “It will be very difficult for the victims to speak and file a complaint (…). But no one is above the law.”added the founder of Let’s Dare Feminism.

For the elected member of the Paris council Raphaëlle Rémy-Leleu, this platform “defends rape culture” and decided to “privilege the artist, and despise the words of each victim”. In an interview with France Infoshe believes that these 56 signatories “face a denial of reality”. “They tell us: “We refuse to see what the man has done (…) because he is the artist”. And that’s particularly serious.” «This forum intends to create a diversion. Raphaëlle Rémy-Leleu would have preferred “find these personalities, these artists, these public voices in so many other fights, in so many other forums, in particular to defend victims of sexist and sexual violence, to fight against sexism in general”.

Emmanuelle Dancourt, president of Metoo Media, also expressed his disgust on BFMTV : “It saddens me, I am devastated because I have the impression that there is a misunderstanding: when I hear about the torrent of hatred pouring out on Gérard Depardieu, that is not that at all”.

Among the signatories – 32 men and 24 women – we include actors, writers, singers, musicians, an academician… If certain personalities are not part of Gérard Depardieu’s private circle, other names like that of the actress Carole Bouquethis former partner, the actress Nathalie Baye and the director Michel Fau, are among his early supporters.

One name in the list caught the attention of Laurent Boyer, president of the Les Papillons association: actor Pierre Richard, ambassador of the association which fights against child abuse. On social networks, Laurent Boyet declared that the association was now separating itself from its services. “Of course, we knew about his past friendship with Gérard Depardieu, born from the films they shot together and from a certain conception of living well. But there are acts and words that we cannot accept or excuse, even in the name of any friendship.” justified the president of the association.