The ceremony begins in more than two hours, and the atmosphere is not in the hall, but in front. Around 7 p.m. this Friday, rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré (Paris, 8th arrondissement) sees red: feminist demonstrators, who came to shout their indignation at the twelve nominations collected by the film "J'accuse" by Roman Polanski, succeeded leaving the nearby Place des Ternes, where they were gathered to break down the barriers and approach the Salle Pleyel with smoke bombs.
The police officers who stand in a barrage reply with tear gas: in the Pleyel hall, the guests who start to arrive start to cough. 250 meters from there, Place des Ternes, a few hundred demonstrators heard their revolt, shouting "free our comrades", some referring to "two arrests".
Ravens hover over Place des Ternes
It must be said that the tone had been set on this same place shortly after 6 pm, between the barracks of the florists. Three huge raven-shaped banners play the reception staff. On each raven, a name: "Polanski", "Weinstein", "Besson". A ribbon of "J'accuse Polanski" posters surrounds the square. Cardboard panels rise: "No honor for rapists", "4 rapes 12 nominations", "Caesar of shame", "Portrait of Polanski on fire" ...
Several associations are present, including Dare Feminism!, The Feminist Collective against Rape, Actresses against Violence Against Women… All in joyful chaos: activists, who mix with the curious, with journalists, with cameras television, shout slogans with megaphone, play music with amps.
Some formulas are more popular than others: "Polanski, you're fucked up, women are in the street", "Victims, we believe you" ... Songs are repeated by all: "Everything, everything, everything, you will know everything about Polanski "on the tune of Pierre Perret's" Zizi ", or" We are there, we are there, even if Polanski does not come to us, we are there ... "
Polanski and his team absent, "a first victory"
More serious, Céline Piques, spokesperson for Dare Feminism !, poses with her activists who brandish boxes containing the first names and ages of those whom the association considers to have been raped by Roman Polanski. One of them announces "Valentine, 18 years old", in reference to Valentine Monnier, who accused, in our columns, the director of having raped her in 1975.
"The J'accuse team , which has given up on coming to the César ceremony, is already a first victory," claims Céline Piques. Perhaps the shame changed sides this evening, because they knew that they would have been arrested by activists or actresses if they had been present… ”
Newsletter - The essentials of the news
Every morning, the news seen by Le ParisienI'm registering
Your email address is collected by Le Parisien to allow you to receive our news and commercial offers. Find out more
A few meters away, the event divides: some groups decide to try their luck to reach Pleyel by other streets and embark on a long journey on foot, which will take them through Place de l'Etoile and the Champs-Elysées. Those who remain at Place des Ternes are determined to hold out "as long as possible". The chanted slogans continue: "Rape is a crime, red carpet for the victims" ...