France's César Academy is cracking down on sexual predators

It really shouldn't be news that France is promising not to "spotlight" actors and filmmakers accused of sexual assault at the César Awards—its version of the Oscars—next month. But it's 2025 and this writer is American, so it's not just news—it's a massive, envy-inducing update. 

The move isn't even as radical as it could have been. "In the event of legal proceedings against a member for acts of violence, particularly of a sexist or sexual nature… the board will suspend the member’s voting rights until the ongoing procedure is concluded, or exclude them entirely until the full completion of the sentence, in the case of a final conviction," France's César Academy wrote in a statement, per Variety. A lifetime ban might be a fairer punishment—completed sentence or not—but considering the state of the world right now, this is certainly better than nothing. 

The updated rules are enshrined in a new charter, which the organization adopted on January 23. This move follows a series of controversies that presaged France's own #MeToo moment, which ramped up last year. In 2020, Portrait Of A Lady On Fire star Adèle Haenel walked out of the César Awards in protest after Roman Polanski was named Best Director for An Officer And A Spy. "Bravo pedophilia!" she shouted at the time, before leaving the industry completely to focus on political activism. The Césars faced another controversy in 2022, when actor Sofiane Bennacer was shortlisted for the male newcomer award despite having multiple allegations of sexual assault filed against him. His name was eventually withdrawn. These incidents came into focus once again last year, when actress Judith Godrèche challenged the room from the stage. "Let’s not play heroines on screen only to hide in the woods in real life," she said in her speech (translated by Variety). "Let’s not write revolutionary or humanist heroes only to wake up in the morning knowing a director has abused a young actress—and say nothing."

In November, the BAFTAs made a similar commitment after former BBC News host and multiple award winner Huw Edwards pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children. Starting in 2025, BAFTA winners can be stripped of their awards in cases of “proven dishonesty and the very rare instance of a winner being convicted of a serious criminal offense resulting in a prison sentence," the organization's president announced in a letter to its members. "No solution is perfect and there may be instances where the outcomes of this review are tested in the future, so we will review these principles and processes along with our other awards rules every year," the letter concluded. If only some other institutions were as strict about due process and holding sexual predators accountable.