After Roman Polanski, the producer of his film J'accuse , Alain Goldman, announced in turn on Friday AFP that he will not go to the Cesar ceremony, regretting "an escalation of inappropriate and violent comments and behavior "
Read also: César 2020: Roman Polanski gives up going to the ceremony to avoid a "public lynching"
“It would have taken 120 years for a French film to be devoted to the Dreyfus Affair. J'accuse pays tribute to a forgotten hero, Colonel Picquart, thanks to whom the innocence of Dreyfus has been revealed. We are proud to have done so, ” said Alain Goldman in a statement sent to AFP.
We cannot accept that the democratic vote of the 4313 members of the Academy be called into question by a court of opinion
Alain Goldman, producer of "J'accuse".“Alas, despite the film's 12 nominations for the César 2020, we have noticed an escalation of inappropriate and violent language and behavior. The Minister of Culture himself, representing the state authority, authorized himself a declaration condemning in advance and without knowing it the result of a professional, independent and secret vote, "he adds.
"We cannot accept that the democratic vote of the 4.313 members of the Academy be called into question by a court of opinion" , stressing that "France is a state of law" .
Before adding : "For all these reasons, we therefore decided not to be present at the César 2020 ceremony" , suggesting that the entire technical and artistic team of the film could be absent from the ceremony.
Actions planned despite the absence of Polanski
Roman Polanski had already announced Thursday to AFP that he would not attend the ceremony Friday evening, when feminists planned to demonstrate against the 12 nominations of his historic thriller on the Dreyfus Affair. "Activists are already threatening me with a public lynching , " he said in particular.
Friday morning, the Minister of Culture Franck Riester estimated on France Info that a César for the best director for Roman Polanksi would be “a bad symbol compared to the necessary awareness that we must all have in the fight against sexual violence and sexist ” .
The 45th Cesar ceremony is held on Friday evening under high tension, against the background of expected reforms - notably on parity - and strong protests against the appointments of J'accuse by Roman Polanski.
Read also: César 2020: the Figaro prize list
The annual high mass of French cinema will be preceded from 6 p.m. by a rally at the call of feminist associations, including #NousToutes and Dare Feminism. These associations refuse to grant honors to Roman Polanski, who was the subject of several rape charges and who is still being prosecuted by the American justice system for illegal sexual relations with a minor in 1977.