Coralie Fargeat has pulled her film “The Substance” from Camerimage Film Festival following comments the festival director made about female cinematographers.
“After discovering the highly misogynistic and offensive words of the director of the Camerimage Film Festival, I have decided to pull ‘The Substance’ from the festival (and [director of photography] Benjamin Kračun has decided not to attend),” Fargeat wrote in a statement posted to her X account. “‘The Substance’ is about the impact of exactly these types of behaviors on our world. We shouldn’t tolerate them anymore. We send our support to all involved in the festival and hope this decision will help create a much needed change.”
In a column published in Cinematography World magazine, festival director Marek Żydowicz appeared to suggest that having greater representation of women DPs and directors in the event’s selection could lead to the inclusion of “mediocre film productions.”
“Should we reject what is esteemed and valuable just to ‘make space’ for the necessity of social change?” he wrote. “Whilst festivals like Cannes, Berlin or Venice are criticized for their selections due to succumbing to or promoting [political or ideological trends], Camerimage remains committed to artistic values as the foremost criterion for qualifying and promoting film art.”
Steve McQueen similarly withrdrew from the festival in Toruń, Poland., which includes an opening night screening of his new film “Blitz” He had been set to receive the outstanding director award at the event in Toruń, Poland.
“Having read Marek Zydowicz’s op-ed concerning female cinematographers, I have decided not to attend the opening night presentation of my film ‘Blitz’ this weekend,” McQueen said in a statement to Variety. “Although he has issued an apology, I cannot get past what I consider deeply offensive words. I have enormous respect for cinematographers of all genders including women, and believe we have to do and demand better to make room for everyone at the table.”
In response to McQueen’s departure, Żydowicz said in a statement to Variety: “It was with great sadness that I accepted Steve McQueen’s decision to withdraw from the festival. I apologize once more, and I would like to take this opportunity to sit down in an open forum and talk about how to move forward together in a more open and inclusive manner. The festival is here to embrace each other as a community and to share in the appreciation of the images we cherish together as a community. Let’s have a meaningful discourse together as a community so that we can begin to rebuild in a more equitable manner. Let us have a conversation and determine the steps that will make the festival, our industry, more open, unified and representative of all voices.”
Cate Blanchett will remain as jury head despite the controversy. She and her fellow jury members (Anthony Dod Mantle, Higgs, Powell, Rodrigo Prieto, Lukasz Zal and Jolanta Dylewska) shared a statement addressing the situation earlier this week. “We welcome debate regarding gender representation,” the statement reads. “We look forward to being part of meaningful discussions with our peers at the festival about greater inclusion and recognition of excellence in all its forms in our industry.”
Following criticism from the American Society of Cinematographers, the International Cinematographers Guild and the British Society of Cinematographers, Żydowicz said, “We have always strived to showcase only the best of contemporary cinema, regardless of who creates it. And that is how my statement should be understood, there is nothing more to it, it has nothing to do with lack of respect for women.”
Żydowicz did not immediately respond to Variety’s request for comment following Fargeat’s statement.
