‘The Artist’ Director Michel Hazanavicius Says ‘People Have an Issue Addressing the Genocide Against Jews’

As a child of Holocaust survivors, Michel Hazanavicius‘ words resonate deeply with me. His op-ed denouncing the rising antisemitism in France is not just a call to action, but a poignant reminder of our shared history and the importance of empathy.

Michel Hazanavicius, the Academy Award-winning director behind “The Artist” who recently faced criticism for his animated film “The Most Precious of Cargoes” shown at this year’s Cannes Festival, has written an opinion piece criticizing the increasing anti-Semitism in France.

Filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius, a Jew whose parents survived the Holocaust from Eastern Europe, posed a question rhetorically in the French newspaper Le Monde: “Why does it seem to me that an increasing number of people are uncomfortable with the mere act of acknowledging the genocide against the Jews?”

“Hazanavicius questioned why he seemed to be transitioning from a member of a minority group, which has experienced its own share of hardships, into a representative of the powerful, symbolizing oppression, colonialism, and injustice. It feels as though being Jewish is now viewed as questionable or even loathsome. How could I have transformed into such an evil figure so quickly?”

The Academy Award-winning director, known for illuminating the 1999 Chechnya conflict through his movie “The Search,” expressed a concern that “there seemed to be an increasing indifference towards antisemitism” during the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

As a person who has experienced prejudice and discrimination myself, I find it disheartening to hear people conflate the trial of a political leader with the trial of an entire nation or ethnic group. In this case, referring to Netanyahu’s trial as the “trial of Israel” or the “trial of the Jews” is not only inaccurate but also perpetuates harmful stereotypes and misunderstandings.

The individual in question expressed that it’s unnecessary for him to express his views on the ongoing conflict between Gaza and Israel-Palestine each time he does an interview, merely due to the fact that he is Jewish.

In a more typical scenario, it’s expected that instead of violence, there would be a surge of empathy towards Jews following the Hamas attack on October 7. The question arises: Why wasn’t this shared grief universal? Is it necessary to always hear “Yes, but…” when discussing the suffering of one or even 1,200 Jewish individuals?

During an interview with EbMaster on the eve of this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Hazananvicius shared that his grandparents narrowly avoided being sent to Auschwitz, but unfortunately, not all their family and acquaintances survived. He expressed a desire for his film to avoid moralizing, instead focusing on honoring those who triumphed over prejudice and protected lives. However, some critics criticized him for including a scene that portrayed the atrocities of the death camps.

In the drama scored by Oscar-winning composer Alexandre Desplat, the stories of a Jewish family with newborn twins, tragically sent to Auschwitz, and a childless couple residing in a remote Polish forest are beautifully intertwined. As the family is transported on a train headed for the death camp, the father, desperate, wraps one of his twins in a shawl and hurls her out of the train into the snowy landscape. By chance, this infant lands near the solitary woodcutter woman who, watching trains for any potential resources, discovers the baby girl. Touched by compassion, she chooses to adopt her. Initially hesitant due to his prejudice against Jews, the woodcutter’s husband eventually grows fond of the little girl and goes to great lengths to safeguard her life.

At first, Hazanavicius felt apprehensive about taking on the project due to its subject matter being the Holocaust, which he found overwhelming. However, he was eventually captivated by the compelling and enduring story that it presented, describing it as incredibly beautiful.

“The film titled ‘The Most Valuable Freight’ will be released in France on November 20th, distributed by Studiocanal. This production is a collaborative effort between Patrick Sobelman, Robert Guédiguian from Ex Nihilo in France, and Florence Gastaud and Michel Hazanavicius at Les Compagnons de Cinéma. The Dardenne brothers, Jean-Pierre and Luc, are also involved as co-producers under their banner Les Films du Fleuve. The lead actors include the renowned French actor Jean-Louis Trintignant, along with Gregory Gadebois and Dominique Blanc.”

2024-08-07 15:16

‘The Artist’ Director Michel Hazanavicius Says ‘People Have an Issue Addressing the Genocide Against Jews’

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