Greta Gerwig, president of the jury of the 77th Cannes Film Festival, attends a press conference ahead of the opening ceremony of the 77th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 14, 2024. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne | Photo credit: CLODAGH KILCOYNE
According to Variety, “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig addressed the growing #MeToo movement in France during a jury press conference on the opening day of this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
“I think that people in the film community telling us stories and trying to change everything for the better are only good,” said Gerwig when asked about the #MeToo rumors circulating before the festival. “I have seen significant changes in the American film community and I believe it is vital that we continue to expand this conversation. So I think this just moves things in the right direction. Keep the channels of communication open,” she added.
Gerwig is the chairwoman of this year’s competition jury, which will award the coveted Palme d’Or at the end of the 11-day festival. The jury includes Spanish director JA Bayona, Turkish actress and screenwriter Ebru Ceylan, Italian actor and producer Pierfrancesco Favino, “Killers of the Flower Moon” star Lily Gladstone, French actress Eva Green, Japanese director and producer Hirokazu Kore-eda, Lebanese actor and director Nadine Labaki and French actor Omar Sy.
Bayona took a different stance on this matter, supporting Delegate General Thierry Fremaux, who stated at Monday’s press conference that the festival’s emphasis should be on films.
“It seems to me that this problem does not concern cinema in particular,” said the director of “Snow Company”. “This phenomenon is much more common, and we are here to focus on the videos.” Worker unrest is also expected this year, with the French collective “Sous les ecrans la deche” calling for a strike. The organization is questioning proposed changes to work regulations that will reduce unemployment benefits by more than half. The organization brings together hundreds of festival employees, including operators, drivers and caterers.
“I certainly support labor movements and we have certainly gone through this with our unions,” Gerwig said. “I hope that the festival staff can come to an agreement that works for them and supports them and supports the festival.”
According to Variety, the ongoing war in Gaza and the heated debate over Israel and Palestine came up when the magazine asked the jury about Cannes’ decision to ban protests on the Croisette. Earlier at the conference, Favino called the festival a “free space” and was pressed that ignoring the situation in Gaza was perhaps impossible – after all, the official Cannes program included a film about Gaza, and jury member Sy recently urged politicians to take action to stop Israeli ground invasion of Rafah.
“When I talk about free space, I don’t just mean physical space. It’s also the possibility of time,” Favino said. “One of the hardest things we can do is search for beauty. Thanks to filmmakers, we remind the world that there is beauty in the world. Movies can talk to people… if we look for beauty, maybe we will find peace.” The Cannes Film Festival will begin with the premiere of Quentin Dupieux’s French comedy “Act Two” – reports Variety. (OR)
