### Filmmaker Coralie Fargeat Withdraws 'The Substance' from Camerimage Festival Amid Controversy

French director Coralie Fargeat has made the decision to withdraw her latest film, *The Substance*, from Poland's Camerimage Film Festival. This withdrawal comes in response to a contentious op-ed penned by the festival's founder and head, Marek Żydowicz. Fargeat announced her decision on her X account, expressing her concern over Żydowicz’s remarks. Additionally, she confirmed that her film’s director of photography, Benjamin Kračun, would also not be attending the event as previously planned.

In her statement, Fargeat condemned Żydowicz’s comments as "highly misogynistic and offensive," elaborating that her film addresses the impact of exactly these types of behaviors on society. Fargeat hopes that her decision will contribute towards necessary change in the industry. Kračun, who was initially scheduled to engage in Q&A sessions at the festival, also chose to withdraw his participation following the controversy.

Żydowicz's article, titled "Time for Solidarity" and published in Cinematography World, has faced widespread criticism for its sexist undertones. In the article, Żydowicz discusses the increasing prominence of women cinematographers and directors, but his perspective has been denounced by industry professionals. His remarks about potentially sacrificing "works and artists with outstanding artistic achievements" to make space for what he deemed "mediocre productions" sparked particular outrage.

Prominent cinematographers like Reed Morano and Fabian Wagner have publicly criticized Żydowicz’s statements. Multiple industry organizations, including the British Society of Cinematographers, swiftly condemned the article, labeling it as an outdated notion of male superiority in the field. Renowned filmmaker Steve McQueen also withdrew from participating in the festival, where he was set to introduce his recent feature *Blitz* and receive an honorary award.

The backlash has seen support from numerous industry bodies. The American Society of Cinematographers shared the letter denouncing Żydowicz’s comments, with endorsements following from other groups such as the Canadian Society of Cinematographers and the Women Cinematographers Network of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Camerimage Festival is scheduled to begin this weekend in Torun, Poland, with a screening of *Blitz*. Despite the controversy, the festival will proceed, concluding with a screening of Universal's *Wicked* starring Ariana Grande. Cate Blanchett is slated to chair the competition jury.