Anyone under investigation for charges of sexual assault will be prohibited from attending the Cesar Awards presentation next month, France’s equivalent of the Oscars, said a statement on Monday.
The newest #MeToo controversy involving newbie Sofiane Bennacer, who is under investigation by police for two allegations of rape and one of assault against a girlfriend, raised concerns that there would be protests during the event on February 25. Bennacer, 25, who denies any wrongdoing, had been predicted to win an award for his performance in “Les Amandiers,” which is also known as “Forever Young” outside of France and is about a group of sexually promiscuous drama students in the 1980s.
It also comes after protests at the 2020 ceremony, when the best director was won by Roman Polanski, who was convicted of raping a child in the 1970s. This led to a significant restructuring of the Cesar Academy. Anyone who may get a prison sentence for “violence, particularly of (a) sexual or sexist type,” according to a statement from the Academy, will not be allowed to attend the ceremony. “It has been decided not to highlight people who may have been put in question by the judiciary for acts of violence,” it said, adding that the step was being taken “out of respect for the victims”, even if they were only “presumed” victims.
The Cesar Academy is still evaluating whether the persons guilty of sexual misconduct should be completely disqualified in the future
Following the publication of further claims in the media in November, Bennacer was removed from the long list of prospective nominees. Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi, the director of “Les Amandiers,” who is rumored to be Bennacer’s lover, condemned “a media persecution.” During the casting, she said on Instagram, the producers of the movie were aware of the claims against Bennacer, “but I told them these rumors would not stop me and I couldn’t imagine doing the picture without him.” One of the pillars of our democracy, according to her famous sister Carla Bruni, a singer and former First Lady of France, was damaged by the actor’s treatment.
The Cesar Academy announced that it was still evaluating whether those who have been accused of sexual misconduct and found guilty should be completely disqualified from nominations and awards in the future. A decision is expected in the coming weeks.
