Judith Godreche makes bold statement at cannes on sexual violence
Judith Godreche is one of the prominent figures of the #MeToo movement in France. During the premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday, the actress made a significant gesture on the red carpet.
9:32 AM EDT, May 16, 2024
On Tuesday, the latest edition of the Cannes Film Festival officially began with an opening ceremony in the French cinema capital. At the event, the Honorary Golden Palm was awarded to Meryl Streep, who received a touching tribute from Juliette Binoche while accepting the accolade.
On Wednesday, Cannes hosted a screening of the non-competitive production, "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga." The premiere of George Miller's film drew many well-known faces to the red carpet, including lead actress Anya Taylor-Joy and Naomi Campbell, who graced the event in a 30-year-old Chanel dress.
A significant gesture on the red carpet in Cannes. The French star opposes sexual violence
Among the guests at the Wednesday premiere was the well-known French actress, Judith Godreche. She is promoting her short film, "Moi Aussi," at this year's festival, which shares the stories of victims of sexual violence. Godreche attended the "Mad Max" screening with the cast of the film she directed.
According to AP, Godreche dedicated her work to "all those who one day finally have been able to tell their story" and to those who "still live in silence." During their walk up the famous stairs, Godreche and her team made a poignant gesture related to the theme of "Moi Aussi" by covering their mouths with their hands.
The title of Judith Godreche's short film translates to English as "Me Too." In France, Godreche is regarded as one of the leading voices against the harassment of women. As AP recalls, she was among the first celebrities to publicly accuse Harvey Weinstein. In 2017, during an interview with the New York Times, she recounted her experiences with the producer, revealing that in 1996, while in Cannes, Weinstein invited her to breakfast to discuss a film his studio had acquired. During the meeting, he suggested continuing the discussion in his hotel room.
As reported by the New York Times, Godreche stated that Weinstein offered her a massage, claiming it was an American custom. Though she refused, he persisted, beginning to touch her and trying to remove her sweater.
In February of this year, Judith Godreche accused renowned French director Benoit Jacquot of "rape with violence." She also accused director Jacques Doillon of rape. During the Césars, in February 2024, Godreche made a powerful appeal for the French film industry to confront the reality of sexual violence.