The Cannes Film Festival has a long history of dealing with accusations of sexual misconduct, as exemplified by the #MeToo movement. Despite rumors of an impending exposé detailing fresh charges of abuse against high-profile industry figures, no such report materialized during the 2024 edition. Nevertheless, the festival program included several films that explored #MeToo themes, highlighting the movement’s influence both on and off the screen.
One of the most notable films was Judith Godrèche’s short film “Me Too,” based on the harassment the French actor, director, and activist faced from significantly older filmmakers Benoît Jacquot and Jacques Doillon when she was a minor. (Both filmmakers deny the sexual assault allegations.) Godrèche has been a leading figure in France’s #MeToo movement, and her testimony against these industry veterans prompted the French parliament to investigate abuse and sexual violence within the country’s film, TV, performing arts, advertising, and fashion industries.
Other films explored the topic of sexual abuse more indirectly. Rungano Nyoni’s dark comedy “I Am Not a Witch” portrays Shula (Susan Chardy), an impassive heroine discovering her uncle’s dead body on the side of a road in Zambia. Although the older women in her family mourn his loss hysterically, Shula remains unmoved. The film reveals that he groomed several young girls in their family, including Shula and her two cousins. Each woman’s story is unique, but the patterns of abuse are chillingly familiar, demonstrating how each survivor grapples with the emotional scars of their experiences.
Another female-centric #MeToo story was Noémie Merlant’s raucous comedy “Mi iubita, mon amour.” Three young women, Ruby (Souheila Yacoub), Nicole (Sanda Codreanu), and Élise (Merlant), lust after a hot neighbor from their Marseille apartment. When he invites them over, the situation takes a sinister turn, with Ruby returning home covered in his blood, revealing his assault. The impact of the assault runs parallel to Elise’s story, where her overbearing husband attempts to coerce and then rapes her.
Sandhya Suri’s gut-wrenching drama “The Widows of Malabar Hill” focuses on a young widow who inherits her police officer husband’s place on the force after his death. Assigned to investigate the rape and murder of a low-caste girl, she encounters apathy from her male colleagues and confronts the patriarchal structures that protect powerful men and disregard vulnerable women. While she eventually identifies the perpetrator, the patriarchal society she lives in prevents her from bringing him to justice.
While these films tackled #MeToo themes, the festival continued its glitzy and glamorous facade. However, there were also calls for Cannes to take a stronger stance against sexual abuse. Festival organizers were praised for including thought-provoking explorations of #MeToo, but critics argued that they needed to do more to discourage controversial figures from attending and establish Cannes as a place where abuse is not tolerated. Ultimately, while the politics of Cannes may remain on the screen, they should also be addressed in every aspect of the festival, as Thierry Frémaux, the festival’s artistic director, rightly stated.
