It’s Hard Being Loved by Jerks / C’est dur d’etre aimé par des cons Series: 46th New York Film Festival [Sept. 26 – Oct. 12, 2008] Director: Daniel Leconte, Country: France, Release: 2008, Runtime: 119
In Feb. 2006, the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo published a series of 12 cartoons satirizing Islamic fundamentalism that had earlier been published in a Danish newspaper and sparked worldwide protests and violence. Under the headline “Muhammad Overwhelmed by Fundamentalists,” the cover of Charlie Hebdo included a rendering of a distraught Muhammad accompanied by a thought balloon lamenting, “It’s hard being loved by jerks.” A few days later, several Islamic organizations brought a suit against editor Philippe Val for racist slander against Muslims.
Thus began what’s been called the first major legal battle of the 21st century: a struggle between an understandably aggrieved minority and the press defending its freedom to use language and images some might deem insulting.
Filmmaker Daniel Leconte followed the entire course of the trial, chronicling the various legal strategies of both sides and bringing in an array of social commentators to remark on its impact and long-term effects. A fascinating and important document on a problem that all democratic societies will continue to face.
A panel discussion on the film will follow the screening, with Leconte; Carol Becker, writer, culture critic and dean of the School of the Arts, Columbia University; Marshall Cohen, professor of philosophy and provost emeritus of philosophy and law, University of Southern California; and more.
Co-presented by the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival.
