Cannes on verge of another #MeToo moment

Cannes Film Festival opens amid rumors of #MeToo reckoning, worker strike threats and protests over the Gaza conflict

EXCLUSIVE BY MURAT OZTEKIN — The Cannes Film Festival, one of the world’s most popular cinematic events, opened its doors in a tense atmosphere, just like last year.

The 77th edition of this year’s festival in Cannes, France, whose jury includes Turkish screenwriter Ebru Ceylan, kicked off last night with Quentin Dupieux’s “Second Act.” But Cannes, where 22 films will compete for the Palme d’Or, is dominated by rumors of revelations, strike expectations and protest tensions.

Sexual abuse allegations 

According to French media reports, sexual misconduct allegations are expected to be made against several male actors, directors and producers from the French film industry during the festival. It is said that 10 filmmakers are among those who will be accused of allegations similar to #MeToo in Hollywood. For this reason, some nominees may be withdrawn from the festival. It is also claimed that the festival committee has hired a crisis management team to deal with this situation.

Further complicating the situation, the festival is expected to see protests highlighting the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza under Israeli bombardment, echoing similar demonstrations at other cultural events worldwide. Additionally, Cannes workers are again threatening to strike, as they did last year, potentially disrupting the festival’s smooth operation.