Source: Zimbio.com
At the Cannes Film Festival this year, there were several moments where actresses and actors declared the need for change and a step forward to equal rights during passionate monologues. However, the words spoken by Asia Argento were by far the most powerful, and even shocking, as she closed out the ceremony with a bold, and uncomfortable statement.
Shortly before introducing the award for Best Actress, Argento said the Cannes Film Festival was like Harvey Weinstein’s “hunting ground,” one which he used to rape her on when she was just 21-years-old.
Reportedly, nobody at the festival had any knowledge that she would say anything, let alone something as provocative as that.
Asia went on to say that Harvey would never make it back to the festival again, and would forever be shunned by its creators, a community of people who once embraced him and even “covered up for his crimes.”
In an impassioned speech at the #CannesFilmFestival, Asia Argento warned members of the audience 'we know who you are' over the abuse of actresses pic.twitter.com/fwok7jO9FK
— Sky News (@SkyNews) May 20, 2018
According to Argento, there are still predators in the film industry and she had a warning for them. The actress insinuated there were men in that very audience who still commit crimes against women, and such a person doesn’t belong in any workforce.
As it was previously reported, more than seventy women have accused Weinstein of either rape, sexual assault, or harassment, and Asia’s story, in particular, was covered by Ronan Farrow’s exposé which went on to win the Pulitzer Prize.
This is the speech I wrote and spoke out loud tonight at Cannes. For all the brave women who came forward denouncing their predators, and for all the brave women who will come forward in the future. We got the power #metoo pic.twitter.com/ttJN1pNFxR
— Asia Argento (@AsiaArgento) May 19, 2018
The writer penned the report last year in The New Yorker and it played a large role in the cascade of #MeToo allegations which followed.
Argento took to Twitter afterward to praise all of the women out there who have come forward with their stories of assault. “We got the power,” she proclaimed.
In response to all of the charges, Weinstein has denied virtually all of them, stating that his encounters were consensual. Joining the ranks of many other women, Ashley Judd just filed a lawsuit against him, which will undoubtedly leave him financially ruined for the rest of his life, even if he doesn’t get the guilty conviction.
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