Adèle Haenel’s Protest at the César Awards Sparks Conversation

The recent praise of Brad Pitt by fellow actors has reminded many of a powerful moment that happened at the 2020 César Awards. During the ceremony, Roman Polanski was awarded Best Director for his film An Officer and a Spy, and while most of the audience applauded in celebration, one person stood up to express her disgust. That person was French actress Adèle Haenel. Haenel is no stranger to speaking out against injustice and abuse. In 2019 she made headlines when she publicly accused director Christophe Ruggia of sexually harassing her when she was 12 years old. Since then, she has been an advocate for victims of sexual assault and harassment in France, even launching her own organization called #MaintenantOnAgit (Now We Act). At the awards ceremony on February 28th, 2020, Haenel left her seat as soon as Polanski’s name was announced as winner and walked out vocally expressing her disapproval. Her action quickly spread across social media with many applauding her courage to stand up for what she believes in despite potential repercussions. This moment is especially relevant now due to its similarities with Brad Pitt’s speech at this year’s Golden Globe Awards where he criticized Hollywood's lack of diversity and inclusion. Like Haenel’s protest at the César Awards last year, Pitt used his platform to make a statement about an issue he felt strongly about which resonated with many people around the world. The response to both moments highlights how important it is for celebrities to use their platforms responsibly and speak out against injustices they see happening in society today. By doing so they can spark conversations that lead to real change within our communities. As we continue to move forward towards greater acceptance and understanding it is moments like these that will help us get there faster than ever before.