CANNES, France. Cannes Film Festival director Thierry Fremaux expressed concern on Monday about the increasing focus on political and social issues within the movie industry, which he believes detracts from the films themselves.
“In the past, people only talked about the cinema. We as organizers only had one anxiety – the films: will people like them, will people hate them?” Fremaux remarked during a press conference.
Fremaux’s comments came in response to a question about a report in the French newspaper Le Figaro last week, which claimed that Cannes had hired a crisis management team to address potential fallout from a list that might be published, naming ten film industry figures accused of sexual abuse.
“It’s not polemics that actually spring from the festival, that’s something we want to avoid,” Fremaux said. Nonetheless, he emphasized the importance of showing the new short film “Moi Aussi” (“Me Too”) by Judith Godreche, a significant voice in France’s #MeToo movement. The global #MeToo movement has exposed men accused of sexual harassment in various fields, including entertainment, politics, and business.
Last week, Cannes announced that the 17-minute short, featuring testimonies from around 1,000 sexual abuse victims, would be screened at the “Un Certain Regard” competition’s opening ceremony on Wednesday evening.
Fremaux reiterated that films are selected based on their cinematic qualities, whether they address issues related to Ukraine, Gaza, or former U.S. President Donald Trump. He noted, “From the start, Cannes has reflected the upheaval in the world because that’s what directors do in their films.”
In addition to these challenges, Fremaux is also contending with a possible strike by festival workers, which could potentially disrupt the event scheduled to run from May 14 to 25.
Cannes is in ongoing discussions with workers’ representatives to address their demands for better working conditions. “Everyone wants to avoid a strike,” Fremaux stated, acknowledging the daily interactions between staff and workers advocating for improved conditions.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
