Filmmaker Pedro Almodovar received a rousing applause at the Cannes Film Festival as he declared that Europe must never be subjected to Trump during a press conference for his new film "Bitter Christmas." The Spanish auteur, known for internationally acclaimed projects such as "Pain and Glory," "Volver," and "All About My Mother," spoke on growing censorship concerns in the US and France, according to Variety.
Almodovar on Censorship and Artist Responsibility
He was asked about the controversy surrounding French network Canal+, whose CEO Maxime Saada threatened to blacklist 600 artists for signing an open letter against main shareholder Vincent Bollore. Among the signatories are prominent names like Juliette Binoche and filmmaker Arthur Harari. Almodovar, who wore a "Free Palestine" pin on the red carpet, said artists should not back down despite threats.
"I don't want to judge anyone, but I think artists have to speak out about the situation in which they live in contemporary society. It's a moral duty," the director said. "Silence and fear is a symptom that things are going badly. It's a serious sign democracy is crumbling. On the contrary, creators must speak out... the worst thing that could happen would be to remain silent or to be censored. We have a moral obligation to speak out," he added.
Criticism of the Oscars and US Democracy
In an earlier interview with the Los Angeles Times, Almodovar also criticized the Oscars for being apolitical this year. "You know, I'm not really blaming anyone in particular, but it was quite notable watching the Oscar telecast where there were not many protests against the war or against Trump. Maybe he wasn't the only one, but the only real example I can remember came from a European, a friend of mine, Javier Bardem, who did directly say, 'Free Palestine.'"
"People are obviously very frightened," the director continued and said he does not consider the US to be a "democracy right now." "Some people say it's maybe an imperfect democracy, but I really don't think the US is a democracy right now. The heartbreaking and ironic thing is that democracy has given rise, through the proper, right voting mechanism, to this kind of totalitarian regime. And it's both a paradox and it's also incredibly sad," the 76-year-old said.
Fearless Spanish Spirit
Asked whether he feared backlash for speaking out against Trump, Almodovar said he did not have many fears. "In a generalized Spanish sense, here we're not afraid to call things for what they are. We have a government that has called Gaza a genocide and the Spanish people in general are not afraid to call these wars out for what they are," he said.
Cannes and Almodovar's Legacy
Cannes has been a regular platform for the director, whose new film earned a 6.5-minute standing ovation. He previously won the best director prize at Cannes for his 1999 film "All About My Mother" and best screenplay for "Volver" in 2006. Bardem, who has often spoken out against Israel, and Almodovar have collaborated on a number of films including "High Flesh," "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown," and "High Heels." He has also worked with actor Penelope Cruz, who is married to Bardem, in films such as "Volver," "Parallel Mothers," "Broken Embraces," "Pain and Glory," and "High Flesh."
