Let's Talk About Kevin Spacey, Shia LaBeouf, And Ezra Miller In Cannes
Listen, I know that looking for feminism at the Cannes Film Festival might be like looking for oranges at the scrap heap. But, for the love of god, Kevin Spacey was just awarded with the "excellence in film and television" lifetime achievement award at the Better World Fund's gala dinner.
Well, surely Spacey must have been in some wondrous film or TV show as of late? No, of course he hasn't. Since 2017, the actor has faced numerous allegations of sexual misconduct, starting with actor Anthony Rapp accusing him of making a "sexual advance" toward him when he was 14.
Now, Spacey was found not liable for sexual battery against Rapp. Criminal charges against him were dropped in Massachusetts. He was also cleared of all sexual assault charges in a UK trial against four men. Spacey himself has consistently denied allegations of misconduct.
But that's not the end of his legal woes. He's currently facing at least two civil lawsuits in the UK alleging sexual abuse. In total, Spacey has been accused of sexual misconduct by over 30 men. This includes his L.A. Confidential costar Guy Pearce, to which Spacey said, "Grow up. You are not a victim."
So, what did ol' Kev spend his time in Cannes doing? Comparing himself to artists who had been blacklisted during the McCarthy era. Spacey said in a speech of one such person, "He couldn't find work in Hollywood for 13 years... There are times when one has to stand up for principle. I've learned a lot from history — it often repeats itself. The blacklist was a terrible time in our history so that it never happens again."
The award was, as per a Vulture writer in attendance, "an 'engagement award' for 'people who have engaged, inspired, and mobilized for a cause.'" The emcee even spoke about victims of violence.
Yes, folks, losing your career because you might be a communist is totally the same thing as being #MeToo-ed. It feeds into other antagonistic language I've heard about the movement: that it's a witch hunt, that victims can just say any old thing and ruin men's lives. Never mind that serious abuse allegations don't stop you from being president of the goddamn United States, no, won't someone think of the men! Never even consider how many talented people we may have lost because of mistreatment.
I swear to god if someone comments about how "Believe All Women" is wrong — THAT'S NOT THE SLOGAN.
Now, to the credit of the festival itself, it's worth noting that the award ceremony was not an official event. A statement to the Guardian from the festival read, 'The Festival de Cannes had no involvement in, and was not informed of, either the invitation extended to Mr Spacey or the award presented during this private event.'
But let's take a moment to look back. In 2024 — the year after Johnny Depp presented his movie Jeanne du Barry — Variety wrote that the festival began as the "belated" #MeToo movement came to the French film industry. This year continues in that suit: Previous Cannes fixture Gerard Depardieu recently began his 18-month suspended sentence for sexual assault.
There's also been a parliamentary inquiry into the entertainment industry, which found misconduct to be "endemic." Inquiry chairwoman Sandrine Rousseau subsequently said, "The Cannes Film Festival must be the place where this shift in mindset happens; the place where we say loud and clear ... amid the glitter and the red carpets ... that finally, we all want things to change: every one of us, at every level of the industry."
As per Variety, the festival issued a rule for this year "banning filmmakers or talent accused of sexual misconduct from walking the red carpet and presenting films at the festival." Actor Theo Navarro-Mussy was subsequently barred from the premiere of Case 137 as he had been accused of rape and sexual assault (though the charges were dropped, his accusers reportedly plan to appeal).
It hasn't been foolproof. Ezra Miller, who walked down the red carpet of Die, My Love, has faced allegations of abuse and grooming. Then there's Shia LaBeouf, who attended the red carpet for The Phoenician Scheme, despite the fact that he's set to go to trial against his ex, FKA twigs, later this year in a case where she has alleged sexual assault and battery. To add insult to injury, LaBeouf is at the center of a documentary that also debuted at Cannes this year called Slauson Rec, which reportedly features him screaming and behaving violently toward his acting students.
Shia also attended the photo call for the documentary.
The real cherry on this shit sundae is that the splashiest new rule at Cannes was that the dress code had been updated to bar nudity and voluminous dresses. Many took this to be a comment on the presence of female nipples we've seen in recent years on the red carpet. It's funny what's considered bad behavior, isn't it?
But hey, maybe my hopes are too high! If someone says they want to "guarantee that the films submitted have respected and continue respecting the safety, integrity and dignity of all contributors," then why on earth would I expect them to actually do something about it?
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 (HOPE), which routes the caller to their nearest sexual assault service provider. You can also search for your local center here.
If you are concerned that a child is experiencing or may be in danger of abuse, you can call or text the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (4.A.CHILD); service can be provided in over 140 languages.
BuzzFeed has reached out to representatives for the Cannes Film Festival for comment.
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