France’s Academy of Cinema Arts and Techniques, the body behind national film ceremony the César Awards, has departed X.
The Academy made the announcement in a press release on Monday, having already deleted its account on the Elon Musk-owned platform.
“The Academy of Cinema Arts and Techniques has decided to end its presence on the social network X, formerly Twitter. This decision, proposed by the Bureau and unanimously validated by the House of Representatives of the Association, is part of a process of consistency with the fundamental principles of the Academy in terms of ethics and integrity,” a statement reads. “The Academy’s mission is to promote cinema in all its diversity. It defends all forms of artistic expression, without distinction of origin or identity of those who collaborate in the making or marketing of films.”
The Academy went on to say that the social network, “in particular through the positions taken by its leader, no longer corresponds to its values.”
The Academy of Cinema Arts and Techniques is just the latest European film institution to ditch X. Berlin Film Festival announced in November that it would be exiting the platform by the end of the year, and Venice Film Festival artistic director Alberto Barbera left in August.
Last week, as the #MeToo movement shows no sign of slowing down in France, the César Academy implemented a zero-tolerance policy on sexual violence and said it would suspend anyone currently under investigation.
“In the event of legal proceedings against a member for acts of violence, particularly of a sexist or sexual nature,” the Academy announced, “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.”
The 50th César Awards are set to take place on Feb. 28 at the Olympia in Paris.
