Some 600 French artwork and leisure world figures have signed a “counter-petition” decrying strikes to defend iconic actor Gérard Depardieu within the face of a number of accusations of sexual assault and considered one of rape.
The petition described a current open letter in assist of Depardieu, signed by 55 cinema world celebrities, and President Emmanuel Macron’s public protection of the actor on a talkshow earlier than Christmas as a slap within the face for all victims of sexual violence.
“It’s the sinister and ideal illustration of the world which refuses to let issues change,” learn the letter posted on the positioning of investigative information web site Mediapart on Friday.
“It’s the reversal of roles the place the executioner (the ‘monster’. the person, in no way sacred, however simply obscene) locations himself as a sufferer, with the assistance of his associates. As at all times in circumstances of gender-based and sexual violence towards girls, the ‘presumption of innocence’ for the aggressor seems like a ‘presumption of mendacity’ for the ladies who testify towards him,” it continued.
The signatories included well-liked rappers, DJs and singers alongside artists and photographers in addition to figures from the cinema world similar to actors Judith Chemla, Felix Maritaud, Waly Dia and Louise Chevillotte and director-screenwriter Caroline Deruas.
Depardieu’s star has fallen in France in current weeks after the published of a bombshell version of investigative present Complément d’Enquête, which probed historic accusations of sexually inappropriate habits by the actor.
This system follows within the wake an official criticism of two acts of rape towards Depardieu courting again to 2018 by actress Charlotte Arnould, which is presently making its method by the courts, in addition to a number of accusations of sexual assault towards the star.
Mediapart beforehand detailed 13 accusations of sexual misconduct towards Depardieu in a particular report printed final April.
The Complément d’Enquête report revealed {that a} second girl, French actress Hélène Darras, had additionally lodged a criticism towards Depardieu in September, associated to occasions on the set of the 2007 dance comedy Disco.
A 3rd girl, Spanish journalist Ruth Baza, is reported to have made an official criticism towards the actor in Spain in relation to an incident that occurred throughout an interview in Paris in 1995 when she was 23 years outdated, within the wake of the present’s broadcast.
The brand new counter-petition comes lower than per week after the open letter in assist of Depardieu, decrying the general public “lynching” and cancelling of “a sacred ‘monster of cinema”, which was posted on the web site of Le Figaro newspaper on December 25.
The signatories included former first girl, high mannequin and musician Carla Bruni in addition to well-liked actors Charlotte Rampling, Carole Bouquet, Nathalie Baye and Pierre Richard.
A handful of the signatories have since sought to distance themselves from components of that initiative, within the mild of the revelation that the journalist who instigated the open-letter, Yannis Ezziad, has connections to far-right politician Eric Zemmour.
Bouquet, who was in a relationship with Depardieu from 1997 to 2005, posted on her Instagram account on Friday that she had signed the petition “for Gérard Depardieu” however did assist the “concepts and values” of the journalist behind the open letter.
“Giving him visibility by way of the middleman of Gérard has made me, as you may picture, deeply uncomfortable,” she wrote.
Filmmaker and author Nadine Trintignant outright withdrew her assist of the letter as a result of truth it was written by Ezziad.
“I didn’t know who was behind the petition after I signed it,” she stated in a press release. “I ask all of those that had been shocked to not maintain this grave error towards me.”
Within the meantime, actor Yvan Attal gave an interview to the BFMTV information channel, through which he defined that he had signed the unique open letter in response to the media backlash moderately than any private assist of Depardieu.
“I really feel uncomfortable, as a result of I signed a petition that I’m not completely in settlement with, however I signed it for causes that had been stronger than what disturbed,” stated Attal.
“There are too many issues that aren’t proper… He has the proper to not be publicly lynched month upon month upon month. It’s within the papers each day, and for the very cause that there’s a case towards him, we should always let justice do the speaking,” he stated.
Veteran actor Gérard Darmon echoed Attal in a separate interview, saying his signing of the unique letter has been “a very civic act” since he didn’t personally know Depardieu.
“I don’t know him, he’s not a pal, I shot one scene with him a very long time in the past in Asterix… what I can’t stand is that this trial by media,” he stated.
The actor added, “If the 2 rapes ever turn into true, I would be the first to step up and say: ‘You’re a pig, I didn’t assume you had been able to that’.”
