The ceremony that announced this year’s Cesar Awards winners, the French equivalent of the Oscar, included a strong clamor for culture in the coronavirus era, with an actor undressing on stage to make a statement about the continued closure of cinemas and theaters.
Corinne Masiero took the stage on Friday night to present the award for best costume wearing a donkey suit and tampons as earrings.
“Is that too much garbage?” Masiero asked the socially distant audience before removing the donkey costume to reveal what appeared to be a blood-soaked dress and announce “I have one last.”
Masiero, 57, the eccentric star of the popular police series “Capitaine Marleau”, then took off her dress and exposed messages written on her body. The words on her cover said: “No culture, no future”. The message on her back was addressed to French Prime Minister Jean Castex: “Give back the art, Jean”.
The audience applauded, but some commentators on social media reported what they said was a descent to vulgarity at the 46th Cesar Awards.
The #MeToo movement sparked last year’s ceremony, where the famous director Roman Polanski received the award for best director for “An Officer and a Spy” amid protests from women’s groups and some boos and strikes.
Polanski, who did not attend the event, is wanted in the United States decades after he was accused of raping a 13-year-old girl in 1977. He pleaded guilty to illegal sexual intercourse with a minor, but fled the U.S. in 2019, a Polanski woman accused Polanski of raping her in 1975 in his Swiss chalet when she was 18. Polanski denied the charges.
Most of the political views expressed this year were about reviving France’s dormant cultural scene. Part-time actors are occupying several cinemas across France, including the famous Odeon Theater in Paris, to demand more government help.
The Minister of Culture, Roselyne Bachelot, was the target of numerous jokes. The ceremony is the master of ceremonies, actor and comedian Marina Fois, noted the minister’s planned book with recipes, “comforting little things to overcome this crisis”.
“I’m losing confidence in you,” said Fois, holding a plastic bag representing dog droppings. The minister’s delegation said the book, “La Vie en Rose”, would not be released, according to French media reports.
As for the awards themselves, a film, “Adieu les Cons” (“Bye Bye Morons”), the crazy adventure of a dying hairdresser looking for the child she gave up at age 15, won seven awards, including best film and best director for Albert Dupontel. The best actor award went to Sami Bouajila for “Fils” (“Son”) and Laure Calamy was chosen the best actress for her performance in “” My Donkey, My Lover, and I. ”
Jean-Pascal Zadi, who was voted the most promising actor for his role in “Tout simplement noir” (“Simply Black”), promoted equality in his speech of thanks. Fourteen-year-old Fathia Youssouff, chosen as the most promising actress for “Mignonnes” (“Cuties”), told young aspirants to follow their dreams.