Depardieu affair: Cultural world divided in France’s messiest scandal

Just a week after the publication of the “N’effacez pas Gérard Depardieu” (“Don’t erase Gérard Depardieu”) opinion piece in the French newspaper Le Figaro in support of actor Gérard Depardieu, who is under investigation for rape and sexual assault, more than 150 personalities have reacted in a new opinion piece. 

Published in newspaper Libération on Monday 1 January, it reads: “In the name of art, certain voices are being raised to defend Gérard Depardieu, insinuating that his talent should shield him from criticism, and even excuse him for his intolerable behaviour. None of this will be in our name.”

The signatories also argued that “art is not a totem of impunity”.

The text was signed by directors Monia Chokri and Thomas Jolly, comedians Anne Roumanoff and Guillaume Meurice, actresses Murielle Robin, Marilou Berry and Alexandra Lamy, and singers Pomme and Imany, among others.

“We are not attacking the art we hold dear: on the contrary, we want to protect it, firmly refusing to use it as a pretext for abuse of power, harassment or sexual violence”, the signatories continue.

The counter-tribune also stresses the importance of supporting victims of sexist and sexual violence, and states that it is imperative that “the courage of survivors who brave stigma and doubt to denounce abuse, in a society in which they have nothing to gain, and sometimes everything to lose” be recognised.

“Art must never lead us to avert our gaze from the suffering of victims, whether famous or anonymous, and talent does not justify the transgression of limits and the attack on the integrity of others”.

Depardieu was also recently defended by French president Emmanuel Macron, in light the TV programme “Complément d’enquête” which broadcast footage of the actor making a series of misogynistic and insulting remarks about women. Macron denounced a “manhunt” against the actor – a move that has been heavily criticised and considered a major political mistake.

The letter also addresses this, with the signatories saying: “The France that makes us proud is not fighting for the right to bother, it is on the side of the presumed victims.”

Mea Culpas and withdrawal of support

More than fifty celebrities previously expressed their support for Gérard Depardieu in the letter published in Le Figaro, including director Bertrand Blier, actors Charlotte Rampling, Nathalie Baye, Carole Bouquet, Jacques Weber, Pierre Richard and Gérard Darmon, as well as singers Carla Bruni and Jacques Dutronc. 

They stated that “when Depardieu is attacked in this way, it is art that is being attacked”.

They called for the actor not to be boycotted, saying that “to deprive oneself of this immense actor would be a tragedy, a defeat. The death of art. Our own.”

Now, several of the signatories have withdrawn their support, because it has come to light that the tribune was the initiative of 32-year-old Yannis Ezziadi, a comedian and author who writes for the conservative magazine Causeur.

Many of signatories have been met with ridicule, as who would sign a tribune without first doing the bare minimum of research as to the provenance of such a petition?

Several of them have distanced themselves from the tribune, including Bouquet, who was Depardieu’s partner in the late 1990s.

On Instagram, respected actor Charles Berling, another signatory, expressed his sadness and apologised to those who may have been offended by his position: “I do not agree with this article in its entirety, I fight on a daily basis against the extreme right-wing ideas put forward by its author, I regret the lack of nuance and the shortcuts in this text and I understand the indignation it has provoked”.

As for Weber, he has spoken out and said he is “measuring his blindness”.

In an article published by Mediapart, Weber wrote: “My signature was a reflex of friendship, I signed in haste, without checking my facts. Yes, I signed, forgetting the victims and the fate of thousands of women around the world who suffer from a state of affairs that has been accepted for too long”. He added: “My signature was another rape”.

What did Macron say?

These artists who signed the tribune in Le Figaro were backed by French president Emmanuel Macron, who spoke out publicly in defence of Gérard Depardieu, saying that Depardieu had become the target of a “manhunt”.

“You will never see me participate in a manhunt,” Macron told France 5 broadcaster last week, when asked about possibly stripping the actor of the prestigious state award, the Legion of Honour.

“He made France, our great authors, our great characters known throughout the world (…) he makes France proud”.

Macron’s stance has been met with anger by those who say he is undermining the cause of eradicating violence against women.

Olivier Faure, the head of the Socialist Party, posted a message on social media accusing Macron of not taking his election promises seriously.

“Violence against women is a major issue of Macron’s mandate … This president does not believe in any of his promises,” said Faure.

Environmentalist MP Sandrine Rousseau also spoke out on social media, saying: “Emmanuel Macron’s words on the subject of Depardieu are once again an insult to the movement to free the speech of victims of sexual violence.”

Elsewhere, Generation.s Feministe, a feminist collective, said Macron’s comments were “an insult” to all women who had suffered sexual violence, “first and foremost those who accused Depardieu”.

Where is Depardieu?

Faced with the controversy and ongoing media storm, Gérard Depardieu has reportedly “cloistered himself away” in a friend’s villa in Belgium.

According to Le Journal de la Maison, the 75-year-old actor is “cloistered” in a villa in Mont-Saint-Aubert.

Actress Julie Depardieu, his daughter, recently defended her father on CNews, denouncing an “unprecedented manhunt” against a man “who has a freedom of speech” in a world where “nobody dares to speak any more”.

“I am surprised by the violence of the rejection of this man who has been idolised all his life”, she said, confirming that her father had left France and would not be spending the end of year holidays with his family.