#MeToo: Raphaël Quenard reacts bluntly to the rumor

“It’s all just wind and like any meteorological hazard we talk about it when we have nothing interesting to say.”

The wave #MeToo swept through Cannes. Present in the journalists' questions during the feature film jury conference, in the opening speech of Camille Cottin and in its selection with the projection of Me too of Judith Godrèche, this Wednesday, the movement to free women's voices in the face of sexist and sexual violence is at the heart of current events in Cannes. Even more so since the recent revelations made around this false blacklist bringing together French cinema personalities guilty of violence against women and which was to be revealed for the opening of the Festival. The rumor, which started on social networks, gained so much momentum that Mediapart – to whom this list was attributed – had to publish an article to firmly deny its existence.

#MeToo: The false blacklist that shakes up Cannes

Among the names of the artists circulating on the web, was that of Raphaël Quenard. While the actor took the steps alongside Léa Seydoux, Vincent Lindon and Louis Garrel for The Second Actthe opening film directed by Quentin Dupieux, the show Clique broadcast on Canal + shared on Twitter an extract in which the main character of Yannick reacted just as firmly to the rumor.

“Getting information for me on Twitter is already for me the unconscious desire to make one’s brain a pot of shit.”

While the journalist and presenter, Mouloud Achour, talks about the tension in Cannes following rumors from the corridors, Quenard responds with his words on the rumor which he considers to be a virus emanating from “evil and malicious people”, a “infernal mechanics” or the unconscious stupidly repeat what they hear and without foundation:

“It’s all just wind and like all weather hazards we talk about it when we have nothing interesting to say.”

If he initially felt a feeling of helplessness and anger upon discovering his name, he is not worried and is reassured to have a clear conscience: “I sleep like a log because my mind is clear.” Refusing to present himself as a victim, he nevertheless declared that the repercussions of this rumor were similar to the harassment he witnessed:

“The people who are the subject of the rumor are victims of a form of harassment, that is to say the ten people who call you friends who summon you and who tell you 'You're sure ?'”

However, the actor who won the 2024 César Award for Best Male Newcomer was keen to highlight the few positive effects brought about by this rumor which brings the fight against sexist and sexual violence back to the forefront. He notably recalled the progress being made in cinema and took the presence of intimacy coordinators on set as an example: “We are all here striving to create a framework that secures the industry.”

While since the excitement of the #MeToo movement many women have managed to free themselves and speak out to denounce their attackers, Raphaël Quenard is aware that behind this “fake news” hide real victims of violence in the world of cinema, and not only. He then asserts that the guilty must be punished.

“There are real people who are victims of real things and those who are guilty of horror against them must necessarily be condemned and put out of harm's way.”

His interview can be seen in full on YouTube.

First prestigious climb of the stairs for Greta Gerwig, Léa Seydoux, Eva Green…