The counter-tribunal criticizing Depardieu’s support collects 8,000 artist signatures in 48 hours

The forum was launched by the Brains Non-Available collective, in response to a first forum in support of Gérard Depardieu signed by 60 personalities, some of whom, like Pierre Richard, have since disassociated themselves.

Some 8,000 artists signed the “counter-tribune” in 48 hours in response to the support of actor Gérard Depardieu, widely criticized after the broadcast of images in which he multiplies misogynistic and insulting remarks towards women, indicated its initiators Sunday.

“Thank you to all the artists, known or not”, including the singers Angèle and Louane or the rapper Médine, wrote on

This text responds to a forum from the pro-Depardieu camp calling for “do not delete” the former icon of French cinema, published on Christmas Day in Le Figaro, as well as in the words of Emmanuel Macron, who denounced on December 20 a “manhunt” against the 75-year-old actor, indicted for rape since 2020 following a complaint from an actress in her twenties, Charlotte Arnould.

“This platform and the defense of Macron are so much spitting in the face of the victims of Gérard Depardieu but also of all the victims of sexist and sexual violence”estimate the signatories of the counter-tribunal.

“Address to the old world”

Another critical petition, entitled “Address to the old world”, was published on Sunday on the Médiapart website with some 70 signatures from cinema personalities including Laure Calamy and Anouk Grinberg.

“No one wants to erase the artist. But the talent of Gérard Depardieu does not authorize the indignity of his behavior”is it written in this text.

Having fallen from his pedestal after the broadcast at the beginning of December of images in which he multiplies misogynistic remarks, Gérard Depardieu, targeted in total by three complaints for sexual assault or rape which he refutes, divides the world of cinema and beyond.

Distances

The unease is amplified by the fact that several of the approximately 60 personalities who signed the support platform have since distanced themselves, including Carole Bouquet, Nadine Trintignant, and Gérard Darmon.

Because an almost unknown actor, Yannis Ezziadi, columnist for the ultraconservative magazine Causeur and close to Julie Depardieu, the actor’s daughter, is at the initiative. He was described in a Le Monde investigation as “close to identity and reactionary spheres”.

On Sunday, it was the actor Pierre Richard who dissociated himself, explaining on X that he had signed this column “solely in the name of the presumption of innocence”, but the text “does not reflect the support that I have for all victims of sexual assault”.

In Le Monde, the former socialist Minister of Culture Aurélie Filippetti also wrote that “this is the first time that the far right has lurked behind this type of offensive to turn it into a real political fight.”