France’s César Academy Adopts Sexual Violence Charter Stripping Members Under Investigation Of Voting Rights

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France’s Cesar Academy has adopted an official charter governing how it deals with members who are officially accused of violence, particularly of a “sexist or sexual” nature.

The body, which oversees the prestigious César awards, said the charter had been adopted today as part of its ongoing drive against all forms of violence, and included a change to its rules that would automatically strip members under official investigation of their voting rights. “In the event of a legal challenge to a member for acts of violence, particularly of a sexist or sexual nature, the Academy Office will suspend the member’s voting rights until the end of the investigation, or until a sentence has been fully served, in the event of a conviction,” the body said The César Academy first introduced rules governing how it deals with members accused of sexual violence in 2023, initially simply excluding accused nominees from the annual ceremony.

This measure was extended in 2024, to prevent winners under investigation for alleged violent acts from receiving any type of recognition, either publicly or privately.

The body said all of its members would be obliged to sign up for the charter when they renewed their membership in March of this year. “The members of the Academy will undertake to respect this Charter which calls on them to work collectively and individually, in particular in the exercise of their respective professions, against violence, with respect for people, the law and the collective work that is a film.” The body unveiled the rule change in the lead up to the nominations announcement on January 29 for the 2025 edition of it awards.