Despite the starry wattage on the Cannes Film Festival jury with Demi Moore, Stellan Skargard, Ruth Negga, and Chloe Zhao; one of the more candid vocalists was Ken Loach’s Cannes winning scribe Paul Laverty who buttoned up today’s jury presser by blasting Hollywood for sidelining Susan Sarandon, Javier Bardem and Mark Ruffalo for their pro-Gaza views.
In addition, Laverty gave a thumbs up to Cannes’ Thelma & Louise poster which has been criticized by French gender-parity group Le Collectif 50/50 for “feminism washing” given that only five of the 22 pics in the running at the fest are from female filmmakers.
“Can I just say one tiny little thing, of course, and congratulate the Cannes Film Festival and the wonderful poster that they have absolutely, absolutely iconic, quite brilliant,” said Laverty.
“Isn’t it fascinating to see someone like Susan Sarandon, Javier Bardem, Mark Ruffalo blacklisted because of their views in opposing the murder of women and children in Gaza,” he continued, “Shame on Hollywood people who do that! And then so my respect and total solidarity to them. They’re the best of us, and good luck to them.”
Laverty then quipped, “And then I just thought, we don’t get bombed now because we’ve got this poster in Cannes. Thank you.”
Last year on the eve of Cannes, more than 350 film world figures, including Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Mark Ruffalo and Javier Bardem, published an open letter condemning “silence” over the deadly impact of Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza.
Sarandon at a press conference for her career achievement at the 40th Goya Awards in February spoke about how she’s been shunned in Hollywood for her pro-Gaza views.
Said the Oscar winner then, “I was fired by my agency, specifically for marching and speaking out about Gaza, for asking for a cease fire, and it became impossible for me to even be on television. I don’t know lately if it’s changed, but, I couldn’t do any major film, anything connected with Hollywood.”
In fielding the first question at the top of the conference, Laverty observed how the Cannes Film Festival is an oasis for peace in a turbulent world.
“Especially in these times now, in these really dark times…you see so much violence and systematic violence, genocide in Gaza; the idea of coming to a festival, which is a celebration of diversity, imagination, tenderness,” he said.
Other members in the Park Chan-Wook led Cannes jury include Demi Moore, Ruth Negga, Chloe Zhoe, Stellan Skarsgard, Belgian filmmaker Laura Wandel, Chilean filmmaker Diego Cespedes, and actor Isaach de Bankole.
