A Venice Film Festival interview with Ayo Edibiri, Julia Roberts and Andrew Garfield to promote their upcoming #MeToo psychodrama After The Hunt ironically has gone viral for an Italian journalist's viewpoint towards both the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements being “done”.
Journalist Federica Polidoro asked Garfield and Roberts what “to expect in Hollywood after the #MeToo movement and Black Lives Matter are done”, seemingly deliberately not pointing this question to Ayo, a woman of colour – therefore a person who may have the best perspective on the status of both movements.
In reaction to this, Roberts asked Federica to repeat the question and to remove her sunglasses, adding: "I can’t tell which of us you’re talking to.” The journalist repeated that the question was “for Julia and Andrew,” further asking “if we lost something with the politically correct era”.
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Ayo then interjected: “I know that that’s not for me, and I don’t know if it’s purposeful if it’s not for me.
“I don’t think it’s done, I don’t think it’s done at all," she said in reference to both the #MeToo and Black Live Matter campaigns. "Hashtags might not be used as much, but I do think that there’s work being done by activists, by people every day that’s beautiful, important work. That’s not finished, that’s really, really active for a reason because this world’s really charged. And that work isn’t finished at all.”
“Maybe if there’s not mainstream coverage in the way that there might have been, daily headlines in the way that it might have been eight or so years ago, but I don’t think it means that the work is done. That’s what I would say.”
Fans of Ayo and critics of the interviewer's line of questioning have weighed in to point out why her “gracious” response was something she had to depict due to pressures on her to not appear “rude”, as well as the “fortitude” it took to respond in the way that she did.
“The beautiful fortitude it takes for Ayo Edibiri here to afford an undeserving interviewer grace while still delivering an unyielding response will be understood by countless black and brown women as the microaggressions they endure way too often,” one posted.
“One thing we’re not talking enough about: how Ayo Edebiri *had* to be gracious in dealing with this appalling behaviour and question because she would’ve been criticised for being ‘unprofessional’ or ‘rude’ or every other dogwhistle in the bag," another wrote.
And, above all, fans are really unhappy about the way a question about racism and assault against women was diverted away from a Black woman.
“The deep seething frustration I'm feeling from an interviewer intentionally talking about black lives matter and addressing the question to the non black people on the panel,” one posted.
Federica Polidoro has responded to the backlash against her interview question in a statement on social media, describing it as “cyberbullying”. "Following an interview, I have been subjected to personal insults and attacks because of a question that, for some reason, was not well received by some members of the public," Polidoro has said.
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“I find it striking that those who unjustly accuse me of racism and consider themselves custodians of justice find acceptable violent language, personal attacks, and cyberbullying,” she wrote, adding that she fulfilled all professional obligations required of her from the interview.
“I would like to clarify that, rather than focusing on the thoughtful responses of Ayo Edebiri, Julia Roberts, and Andrew Garfield, the discussion continues solely on how I should have phrased the question,” she said.
“All the contributions from those present were reported in full in the published interview, without any omissions. To date, I am not aware of any protocol that dictates the order in which questions must be asked in an interview. Censoring or delegitimising questions considered “uncomfortable” does not fall within the practice of democracy.”
Federica has also hit back at suggestions that her failure to include Ayo in a question about Black Lives Matter and #MeToo is suggestive of a “racist” agenda.
“To those who unjustly accuse me of racism, I would like to clarify that in my work I have interviewed people of every background and ethnicity,” she said, “and my own family is multi-ethnic, matriarchal, and feminist, with a significant history of immigration.”
