“Should we reject what is valued and valuable simply to “make room” for the need for social change? he continued. “While festivals like Cannes, Berlin or Venice are criticized for their selections because they succumb to or promote (political or ideological trends), Camerimage remains attached to artistic values ​​as the first criterion for qualifying and promoting cinematographic art. .” But these comments proved detrimental to this year’s Camerimage Festival.

Coralie Fargeat found these comments too offensive to ignore and quickly withdrew from the festival lineup. On The bottom of the festival (and (cinematographer) Benjamin Kračun decided not to attend).”

Continuing his explanation, Fargeat wrote: “The bottom It’s about the impact of these types of behaviors on our world. We should no longer tolerate them. We send our support to everyone involved in the festival and hope this decision helps create much-needed change.

Director Steve McQueen – whose film Blitz was set to open the festival – also chose to withdraw from the event in light of these comments. Although Żydowicz later apologized for the column, it was too little, too late for McQueen, who said: “I have enormous respect for filmmakers of all genres, including women, and I believe that we We must do and demand better to make room for everyone on the team. painting.”

In response to McQueen’s departure, Żydowicz released a statement saying: “It is with great sadness that I have accepted Steve McQueen’s decision to withdraw from the festival. I apologize once again and would like to take this opportunity to sit down in an open forum and discuss how we can move forward together in a more open and inclusive way.

“The festival is here to embrace each other as a community and share appreciation for the images we cherish together as a community,” he continued. “Let’s have meaningful discourse together as a community so we can begin to rebuild in a more equitable way.” Let’s have a conversation and determine the steps that will make the festival, our industry, more open, unified and representative of all voices.

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