Sunday – 21 Rajab 1444 AH – 12 February 2023 AD Issue Number [16147]
Seville (Spain): «Asharq Al-Awsat»
French actress Juliette Binoche revealed, on Friday, that during her career she was rejecting the attempts of a number of film directors and producers to harass her, in a statement she made on the eve of the Spanish “Goya” awards ceremony, during which she received an honorary award on Saturday for her entire career.
At a press conference held in Seville, a Spanish journalist asked Binoche a question about the difficulties that women face in the cinematic field, and the actress replied that “the cinematic field now includes a greater number of female directors, and this is a wonderful thing,” adding: “But when I started my career, most of The directors are men, so there was a great deal of temptation between them and the actresses.
She added that this reality “was present, especially in the eighties of the twentieth century,” and “there was, of course, a great attraction.”
Binoche revealed that she faced situations during which a number of directors and producers tried to kiss or touch her.
And she continued, “I was refusing because I was primarily in an emotional relationship,” noting that “there is a dividing line that should not be crossed.”
And she addressed the women by saying: “You should know how to refuse,” adding: “I am happy with the progress made by the (Me Too) movement, which has changed many concepts in our lives.”
And she continued, addressing each actress: “You should learn how to be strong (…) and fight as an artist, even if you want so much to be loved.” On her honor, Binoche (58 years) said, “My presence in Spain represents a special moment for me, because (Goya) witnessed the presence of artists who influenced me during my career.”
During her forty-year career, Juliette Binoche participated in several films, including “The Unbelievable Lightness of Being” and “The English Passionate”, for which she won an “Oscar” in the Best Actress category in a supporting role, according to Agence France-Presse.
Binoche has collaborated with major filmmakers, including Jean-Luc Godard, Leos Carax, and Louis Mal, in addition to the Polish Christophe Kischlowski, the American Abel Ferrara, the Swiss Lassi Hallstrom, the British John Boorman, and the Austrian Michael Haneke.
The balance of the French actress is full of awards, including the French “Cesar” and the British “BAFTA”, in addition to the best acting award in several festivals, most notably Cannes, Berlin and Venice.
