Today is the opening of the most prestigious film festival in the world. And if art and glamor are inevitably there, this 2024 edition is also that of a questioning of the industry with the #MeTooCinema movement which finds new spokespersons every day. It remains to be seen how this movement will be able to find an echo that matches the challenges of this global event.
There is also the social movement initiated by the collective Sous les screens la dèche, which aims for “more social protection” for the little hands of festivals (projectionists, press officers, etc.). Obviously, cinema and creation are also at the heart of this first day with the opening ceremony chaired by Camille Cottin and the screening of the film “The Second Act” by Quentin Dupieux.
The fact of the day: a forum in favor of a comprehensive law on sexual violence
“Who is really listening to us? »: seven years after the launch of the #Metoo movement, one hundred personalities, including many actresses, call, in an article published Tuesday in Le Monde, for a comprehensive law against sexual violence in France. Among the signatories are the actresses Isabelle Adjani, Charlotte Arnould, Emmanuelle Béart, Juliette Binoche, Emma de Caunes, Judith Godrèche, Isild Le Besco, Muriel Robin, the authors Leïla Slimani, Christine Angot, Vanessa Springora and the actor Philippe Torreton.
“There are 100 of us, but in reality, there are hundreds of thousands of us,” write the signatories of this text accompanied by a petition initiated by The Women’s Foundation, #Metoomedia and actress Anna Mouglalis. “For seven years, we have spoken for ourselves and for all the women, men and children who cannot do so,” they write. “We are not numbers: women and men from all professional backgrounds, we come together to demand a comprehensive law against sexual and gender-based violence, ambitious and equipped with resources. Because despite the courage of the victims, impunity is growing. “. The signatories consider in particular “unacceptable” that the dismissal of complaints for sexual violence “has reached the crazy rate of 94% in 2022” and warn that they no longer accept “the effects of announcements without follow-up”.
Film of the day: “The second act” by Quentin Dupieux
The Festival opens with a joke, short and effective with the screening of the latest film by French director Quentin Dupieux. At 49, the director, who has also distinguished himself in electronic music under the pseudonym Mr. Oizo, has established himself as one of the French references in absurd humor, with 13 “short” feature films (few of them exceed 1h30) in seventeen years. His universe attracts more and more stars, from Jean Dujardin to Alain Chabat, Benoît Poelvoorde, Adèle Exarchopoulos and Léa Drucker.
For his latest opus, the director called on Léa Seydoux, Vincent Lindon, Louis Garrel and Raphaël Quenard. If the film is eagerly awaited on the Croisette, the fact remains that the team provides the minimum service for the promotion, starting with Quentin Dupieux himself who published a letter last April to explain that he was not would not express about his new film: “Today, (…) I want to be silent. Not out of weariness or pretension but simply because the film (The second act), very talkative, says in well-chosen words everything I want to say and already contains his own analysis in an extremely clear way,” he argues. Fortunately, our journalist Caroline Vié was able to extract some information about the film from Manuel Guillot, the big revelation of the film.
Personality of the day: Camille Cottin, mistress of ceremonies
It seems far away the time when the actress made us howl with laughter with her hidden cameras thanks to the character of “ Asshole “. Since then, the actress has carved out a high-fashion career for herself, collaborating on both first films and with recognized directors (Kenneth Branagh, Ridley Scott, Christophe Honoré, etc.). Today, she is taking on a completely new role, succeeding Virginie Efira and Chiara Mastroianni in the role of mistress of ceremonies. “I am moved and so happy to welcome Greta Gerwig and Meryl Streep to this stage, who are exceptional, deeply inspiring actresses and women,” explained the actress.
Photo of the day: Meryl Streep on the red carpet
American actress Meryl Streep received a standing ovation in the main hall of the Palais des Festival before being visibly touched by the speech of Juliette Binoche (herself extremely moved) who praised her acting and her numerous roles.”If The contributions of women in history are still too invisible, yours are not. By helping us to laugh, to cry, to imagine and to be inspired, you have forged an indelible place in the history of cinema. You are an international treasure,” Juliette Binoche said of Meryl Streep.
Sentence of the day:
“ “Nocturnal professional meetings in the hotel rooms of all-powerful gentlemen are no longer part of the customs of the Cannes vortex following the adoption of the #MeToo law, and we welcome it. » »
The mistress of ceremonies did not fail to make reference to the #MeToo movement which will certainly be heard throughout the Fortnight.