‘The Substance’ withdrawn from film festival after festival director’s “highly misogynistic” comments about female filmmakers
The Substance director Coralie Fargeat has pulled her film from the Camerimage Film Festival – find out more below.
Last week (November 12), the Camerimage Film Festival found itself in controversy after its director Marek Żydowicz penned a column for Cinematography World magazine that led to claims of misogyny.
Per Variety , Żydowicz appeared to suggest that more female cinematographers and directors being showcased in film festival programming could lead to the inclusion of "mediocre film productions" at the expense of "works and artists with outstanding artistic achievements."
He wrote: "Should we reject what is esteemed and valuable just to 'make space' for the necessity of social change? 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."
Żydowicz has since claimed that his column was misunderstood: "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."
On Saturday (November 16), Fargeat announced that she has decided to pull The Substance from the film festival following Żydowicz's comments: "After discovering teh 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."
She continued: "The Substance is about the impact of exactly these types of behaviours 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."
The critically acclaimed film – which is now streaming on Mubi in select countries – stars Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley and Dennis Quaid. It follows Elisabeth Sparkle (Moore), a fitness TV show host who is abruptly fired by her boss Harvey (Quaid) when she turns 50.
She then receives a mysterious offer to take part in using a new drug called 'The Substance', which promises to create a younger, better version of herself through a series of injections. Elisabeth must learn to live harmoniously with the new version known as Sue (Qualley) or suffer dire consequences.
