César Award 2020 – The Best Film Director

The Cesar Award. Source: en.wikipedia.org

by Laura Lai/ Comment

‘And the César Award for 2020 for the best director goes to….’

‘The coronavirus!’ I would informally say, because it tells the whole world how to dress, how to move, where and when not to move, what to wear (masks!), etc. If life is a stage, as Shakespeare might have said, the coronavirus is telling the whole world – each of us actor on its life stage – how to play best. But the French Film Academy considered that the best film director award for 2020 should go to Roman Polanski for his movie ‘An Officer and A Spy’ – a movie on the Dreyfus Affair from the mid-19^th century.

The ‘Affaire Dreyfus’ is quite a long history page very familiar to those who studied the History of France – Me, too! It is the story of a French officer born in Alsace, Alfred Dreyfus (1859-1935). The first trial started in 1894. He was wrongly accused of spying, was prosecuted and convicted a life sentence (deportation). It was a trail that polarized the French society in those who used to call themselves ‘dreyfusists’ and were defending the truth and the justice, and the ‘antidreyfusists’, who were defending honor of the army and the country. The ‘antidreyfusists’ were right extremists groups (anti-Semitic) and they were in favor of convicting Dreyfus more based on his Jewish belief. This judicial and political mess got public in 1898 when the writer Emile Zola (1840-1902) exercised his civic duty and wrote the famous letter ‘J’Accuse’ to the President of France (Félix Faure – who died when the second trial of Dreyfus started). For his civic and moral duty of defending an innocent person, Zola got exiled for one year. In 1899, started the second trial of Dreyfus and in 1906 he was rehabilitated. Following this ‘Affaire Dreyfus’ – a long judicial and political mess – the left won more votes and the Catholic Church lost some of its political influence.

This is the historical story that Roman Polanski brought back to the public attention. I have not seen the movie, but I hope it stays as close as possible to the historical truth. I know that both the cinema and the theatre are art, but I, personally, share the opinion of those theoreticians, who believe that the cinema, as well as the theatre, must entertain and teach. I think the challenge is greater when an author, or a film/theater director wants to produce something that fulfills both targets. It is not only about the excitement of a double challenge, but also about precise data on great disinterest of the masses in general for culture (then the number of those abandoning schools, or not having been to school, etc). Therefore, I view the cinema and the theatre as places in which people can also learn something. Indeed, I see (script) writings, movies and plays as great actors themselves with a great and positive impact on the stage of life.

The French Film Academy awarded the ‘Prix César’ for the best film director to Roman Polanski. Some people were intrigued that a controversial man got this prize, some others were happy for this professional achievement. I perfectly understand all women protesting outside. The ‘affair’ with the 13-year old child is disgusting. And it speaks for his ‘quality’ as a person. But with all objectivity, it does not say anything about his quality as film director. I understood that he was convicted and that he still escapes responsibility.

            Women protests are very legitimate. But is the French Academy the right place to protest against what Roman did? The French Film Academy is judging only Polanski’s work, not what Roman did. Therefore, to my understanding even if Polanski were in jail and would have done the movie ‘An Officer and A Spy’ while in jail or on permission (days off from jail, according to jail’s rules), the French Film Academy would still had to judge the movie, not the convicted man or the prisoner.

Focusing on judging the movie and under a great street pressure, the French Film Academy played objectively. I agree with the women protesting – their protest is legitimized. I understand and I share their disgust for such disgusting stories (hopefully, Roman is disgusted, too), but they were protesting so that the French Film Academy to do what? To judge Roman? To sentence him? Not to give him any award?

The French Film Academy seems to have tried to be as objective as possible. Subjectively, each of us can think whatever about Polanski’s movie. Then it’s an issue of personal choice whether or not we watch his movie(s) for whatever objective or subjective reasons we may have. Democracy gives this right, too: we are free to choose. And so is the French Film Academy. Democracy gives the right to protest. And a Film Festival is the right place to protest against a movie or its topic, but I am not convinced that it is the right place to protest against the film director as a man, as there are institutions in charge with that. Therefore, I am not persuaded that protests at a French Film Festival would solve a judicial matter.