Golden Apricot Festival Defends Honoring Kevin Spacey, Rejects Cancel Culture

The Golden Apricot International Film Festival is in full swing, drawing film enthusiasts, artists, and media from around the world to celebrate cinema's finest works. On the opening day, Ani Khachatryan from The Armenian Report had a chance to speak with Karen Avetisyan, the festival's artistic director. The conversation quickly turned to the festival's decision to honor Kevin Spacey, a controversial figure due to his past legal battles and allegations of sexual misconduct.

Kevin Spacey, a two-time Oscar-winning actor, has been embroiled in numerous allegations of sexual misconduct over the past several years. Despite being found not guilty in court and denying any wrongdoing, his career has taken a significant hit. However, the Golden Apricot International Film Festival has chosen to honor him, a decision that has sparked heated debates.

When asked about this choice, Avetisyan explained, "It's a hot and controversial topic with many questions surrounding it. But every time I respond with a question back: what is the reason not to choose him, especially after the end of the trials and the verdicts from both Great Britain and the USA? If it's a matter of total cancel culture, we are against it. We don't appreciate it in cases like this. If we have trial verdicts as a basis, then the only criteria for us is the artistic legacy, which, in this case, is undoubtedly outstanding. We are taking the chance to pay our tribute to it."

Avetisyan's stance shows the festival's opposition to cancel culture, a social phenomenon where individuals or entities are ostracized or boycotted due to their behavior or opinions. In Spacey's case, Avetisyan believes that the legal verdicts should be the determining factor, not public opinion.

"The beauty of the festival is that it is both repeatable and unrepeatable at the same time," Avetisyan said. "We are glad to welcome him after 100 years. Additionally, we are pleased to have great artists, Oscar-winning artists, laureates of the Cannes Film Festival, and the greatest films from Berlin and Venice. All the great works available to us throughout this and the previous year are here for one week, and we hope everyone will enjoy it."

This year's festival is unique, celebrating the centennial jubilees of two significant Armenian artists, Charles Aznavour and Sergei Parajanov. These artists, born in the same year, represent different angles of Armenian civilization, embodying the festival's concept of being a crossroads of cultures and civilizations.

Kevin Spacey's career spans decades, marked by critically acclaimed performances and prestigious awards. However, his fall from grace began in 2017 when 15 men accused him of sexual misconduct. Actor Anthony Rapp was the first to come forward, alleging that Spacey made an unwanted sexual advance towards him when Rapp was 14 years old. Spacey, who was 26 at the time, said he did not remember the incident but apologized for what he described as deeply inappropriate drunken behavior. Spacey's response, in which he also came out as gay, was criticized for conflating the allegation with his sexuality.

Following these allegations, Spacey was fired from his role in the popular Netflix series "House of Cards" and was replaced in Ridley Scott’s film "All the Money in the World." Despite these setbacks, Spacey continued to deny any wrongdoing.

Spacey faced multiple legal challenges in the years that followed. In 2018, he was charged with indecent assault and battery in Massachusetts, but the case was dropped in 2019 due to the unavailability of the witness. In 2023, a London jury found him not guilty of several counts of sexual assault and other sexual offenses.

Despite these acquittals, Spacey’s reputation has suffered, and he has struggled to find work in the industry. He has recently attempted to return to the spotlight, giving interviews in which he expressed his desire to move forward and prove his character.

Spacey is set to face another trial in the United Kingdom next year due to a civil claim alleging sexual assault in 2008. Spacey's representatives have stated that he looks forward to defending himself against these allegations.