Charlotte Gainsbourg, who is expected to play Gisèle Halimi in a biopic, is the subject of a petition opposing her portrayal of the Franco-Tunisian lawyer in the film. Indeed, the actress is among the signatories of an op-ed addressed to Emmanuel Macron, published in Le Figaro on Saturday, September 20, in which several prominent figures asked the president to make recognition of a Palestinian state conditional on the release of the hostages and the dismantling of Hamas. Reactions on social media were strong and internet users divided.
On Monday, September 22, France officially recognized the State of Palestine before the United Nations General Assembly. Two days earlier, on September 20, some twenty prominent figures had signed an op-ed addressed to Emmanuel Macron in Le Figaro, asking the president to make recognition of a Palestinian state conditional on the release of the hostages and the dismantling of Hamas. Among the signatories was French actress Charlotte Gainsbourg.
While she is scheduled to play the French-Tunisian lawyer Gisèle Halimi in a upcoming film, in a biopic directed by Lauriane Escaffre and Yvo Muller, centered on the Bobigny trial, the French actress has come under fire for signing this article. Some members of the public believe that Charlotte Gainsbourg’s position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is incompatible with portraying this anti-colonialist woman, who has repeatedly expressed her support for Palestine. An online petition to reject “Charlotte Gainsbourg’s falsified portrayal of Gisèle Halimi” has even been launched, and has so far collected 7,472 signatures.
“An insult to the memory of Gisèle Halimi”
On X, many internet users debated the legitimacy of the petition launched against Charlotte Gainsbourg. Some are completely opposed to this prospect, and even call for a boycott of the film when it is released: “Leila Bekhti or any other artist would have played her (Gisele Halimi; editor’s note) better (…) #massiveboycottofthefilm. Stop the bullshit,” writes one internet user. “Charlotte could have refrained from signing this petition… If she had any common sense…”, believes another. “Tell us it’s a joke,” “An insult to the memory of Gisèle Halimi. Hoping that her children will be outraged and let it be known. That Charlotte Gainsbourg plays her role is an indelible stain,” “I hope that the rights holders of the magnificent Halimi will oppose it body and soul!” can be read on X.
Other users are trying to defuse the situation: “Reread the request that Charlotte Gainsbourg is joining. She and the others are not against a state! You’re interpreting, it’s very serious and especially dangerous these days.” “Who told you that Charlotte is against Palestine? It’s simply that, according to her, the conditions for this recognition are not met at the moment. Intellectual laziness is a shipwreck for humanity.” “She asked for the release of hostages, so she doesn’t have the right to play a role? Not sure I understand,” some object. Another user especially regrets that the controversy is removing a way to learn about the career of a renowned lawyer: “It’s counterproductive. It’s an opportunity for many, especially young people, to learn about Gisèle Halimi’s story and commitment.”
