Incendiary statements of a great director at Cannes: Trump, Netanyahu and Putin were called “monsters”
Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar said on Wednesday that Europeans have a responsibility to become a “shield” against leaders he called “monsters”, referring to US President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
PHOTO: Archive
“As Europeans, we are (…) obliged to become a kind of shield against monsters like Trump, Netanyahu or the Russian. We are obliged to do this because we respect international law here”said the director during a press conference at the Cannes Film Festival, where he is competing for the Palme d'Or with the film “Bitter Navidad”, note down Reuters.
Almodóvar, one of Europe's most acclaimed filmmakers and an Oscar winner, is participating in the official Cannes competition for the seventh time, but has yet to win the Palme d'Or trophy, although he has been rewarded over time for directing, writing and acting.
The director also emphasized the social role of art and the moral responsibility of filmmakers.
“An artist, from his little stand (…) must speak without detours, he must speak openly about the worst of what happens to us, and every day far too terrible things happen to us”he said.
The statements come in the context in which the actor Javier Bardem, present at Cannes, recently criticized what he called “toxic masculinity” of the three leaders, whom he accused of responsibility in the armed conflicts resulting in numerous victims.
