Weinstein accuser warns abusers 'we know who you are'

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Italian actress Asia Argento delivered a scathing speech during the closing ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday night berating disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and suggesting that yet- to-be-outed abusers were in the audience.

“In 1997 I was raped by Harvey Weinstein here at Cannes. I was 21 years old,” Argento said in a speech ahead of the awarding of the Palme d’Or and other prizes. “This festival was his hunting ground.

“Even tonight, sitting among you, there are those who still have to be held accountable for their conduct against women.”

Actress Asai Argento posted this symbolic picture of herself raising her fist in the declaration of the fight to end sexual abuse against women in the film industry. /Twitter/@AsiaArgento

Breaking the silence

Argento is one of the women quoted in a New Yorker article in October 2017 that said Weinstein raped her.

Weinstein has denied the allegations of non-consensual sex, and a lawyer representing him said that Argento’s claims were completely false.

She said Weinstein, who was until this year a hugely influential presence at the festival, would never return, “shunned by a film community that once embraced him and covered up for his crimes.”

Weinstein’s attorney in Italy, Filomena Cusano, was in Cannes as Argento spoke and said there was as much stunned silence in the audience as there was applause.

Cate Blanchett (left), jury president of the 71st Cannes Film Festival speaks to Asia Argento (right) next to jury member Andrey Zvyagintsev after the closing ceremony, May 19, 2018. /Reuters

“The allegations by Ms Argento are completely false. Mr Weinstein had a consensual relationship with Ms Argento, and she starred in Mr Weinstein’s film ‘B. Monkey’ in 1998. … After that, she wrote a script for Mr Weinstein about Italian director Vittorio De Sica that he wishes could have been produced,” Cusano said in a statement. “This is clearly a painful time for Ms Argento, but it is a false narrative. Mr Weinstein only wishes Ms. Argento well.”

'We know who you are'

Argento left the stage with a stern warning to the alleged abusers.

“You know who you are, but, most importantly, we know who you are, and we are not going to allow you to get away with it any longer,” she said to applause.

Argento’s searing speech came one week after 82 women in film linked arms in silent protest.

Marching to highlight the lack of women in film-making were Kristen Stewart, Lea Seydoux, Khadja Nin, Ava DuVernay, Cate Blanchett, Agnes Varda and Celine Sciamma in a silent protest at the Cannes Film Festival, Saturday, February 12, 2018, in Cannes, France. / Reuters

She posted her entire speech on Twitter as well as a picture of herself with her fist raised in the air and the caption “The battle for women continues” written in French.

Organizers of the festival, which began on May 9, set up a telephone hotline for victims of harassment, and several discussion groups addressed the issues of sexual abuse and the under-representation of women in the film business.

(with input from news agencies)

(Cover photo: 71st Cannes Film Festival – Closing ceremony – Cannes, France, May 19, 2018. Asia Argento (left) and jury member Ava DuVernay (right) are seen on stage. /Reuters)