So there is a new Gérard Depardieu affair.
• Also read: The French Minister of Culture judges that Depardieu is “shameful” for his country
• Also read: Gérard Depardieu was removed from the ranks of the National Order of Quebec
The documentary film dedicated to him by the Complément d'investigation program in France shows him in his most unfriendly face. He makes demeaning comments about women that outrage almost everyone and condemn their basic sense of dignity.
But some have not only condemned his comments, they are now calling for a boycott of his work and arguing that his films should no longer be broadcast. His mere presence in a film should be enough to erase him from the filmography, as if he needed to be symbolically eliminated.
Functions
This is obviously terrible stupidity, characteristic of an age incapable of distinguishing between the work and the artist, as they quite rightly say.
The fact that Depardieu is one of the greatest actors of the last few decades no longer matters. The fact that he knew how to embody extraordinary characters in the most beautiful way – we are obviously thinking of Cyrano de Bergerac – is now secondary.
And what does it matter if the director of the films in question or the other actors on stage disappear. They will be collateral victims of cancel culture.
Let's be clear: I am not qualifying Depardieu's words. Far from it. But Louis-Ferdinand Céline also said absolute horrors, and his romantic work is genius.
complexity
Should Louis-Ferdinand Céline be banned because of his otherwise cruel comments about Jews?
And should we let Woody Allen's work be forgotten because of its morals?
The same idea applies here too: as soon as a work exists, it becomes detached from the biography of its author.
This distinction should be self-evident. She is now a stranger to us. As if we were noticing cultural immaturity. At this rate, we will foolishly allow several great works to be forgotten.