For the first time in Cannes Film Festival history, a director has been banned from the lavish event for making remarks that indicate support, even esteem, for Adolf Hitler. Sitting in a press conference beside his screen star Charlotte Gainsbourg – herself a descendant of Holocaust survivors, Danish director Lars Von Trier, best known for “Dancer in the Dark” and cofounder of the Dogme 95 collective, said about Hitler, “I think I understand the man.” He went on to say, “I’m not against Jews. I’m of course very much for Jews…no not too much…because Israel is a pain in the ass.”
Here is a video of the press conference – watch from about 34:30.
Actually I can understand Israel being a pain in the ass sometimes, but I don’t need to hear it from some Danish film director who goes on and on lauding Albert Speer (Hitler’s chief architect).