The ceremony announcing the winners of this year’s Cesar Awards, the French equivalent of the arsscar, included a loud shout out 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 to the stage Friday night to present the award for best costume with donkey dress and tampons as earrings.
“Is it too rubbish?” Masiero asked the socially distanced audience before removing the donkey suit to reveal what looked like a blood-soaked suit and announced “I have one last one.”
Masiero, 57, an unknown star in the popular detective series “Capitaine Marleaus”, took off his suit and exposed the written messages on his body. The words on his forehead said, “There is no culture, no future.” The message on the back was addressed to French Prime Minister Jean Castex: “Give us the art, Jean.”
The audience applauded, but some commentators on social media denounced what they said was a decline in vulgarity at the 46th Cesar Prize.
The #MeToo movement woke up last year’s ceremony, where famed director Roman Polanski received the Best Director award for “An Officer and a Spy” amid protests from women’s groups and some boos and outings .
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 sex with a minor but fled the United States. In 2019, a woman accused Polanski of raping her in 1975 in her Swiss villa when she was 18 years old. Polanski denied the allegations.
Most of the political views expressed this year referred to the reactivation of France’s latent cultural landscape. Part-time actors currently occupy several theaters in France, including the famous Odeon Theater in Paris, to demand more help from the government.
As for the awards, a film, “Bye Bye Morons”, the crazy adventure of a dying hairdresser looking for the boy he gave up at age 15, won seven awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Albert Dupontel. The award for best actor went to Sami Bouajila for “Son” (“Son”) and Laure Calamy was chosen Best Actress for her performance in “My Donkey, My Lover and Me.”
Jean-Pascal Zadi, who was named most promising actor for his role in “Tout simplic noir” (“Simply black”), promoted equality in his speech of gratitude. Fourteen-year-old Fathia Youssouff, chosen as the most promising actress for “Mignonnes” (“Cuties”), told the young aspirants to follow her dreams.