The Italian actress who was among the first to accuse Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault gave a blistering speech about the disgraced producer – and issued a general warning to sex predators – at the closing ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival.
“I was raped by Harvey Weinstein here at Cannes. I was 21 years old. The festival was his hunting ground,” said Asia Argento, who was on stage to present a Best Actress award.
“I want to make a prediction: Harvey Weinstein will never be welcomed here ever again,” Argento said. “He will live in disgrace, shunned by a film community that once embraced him and covered up for his crimes.”
The actress and director then said sexual bullying was still alive and well in the film community.
“Even tonight, sitting among you, there are those that need to be held accountable for their conduct against women,” she said. “But most importantly we know who you are and we will not allow you to get away with it any longer.”
The crowd welcomed her to the stage Saturday night in thunderous applause.
Argento, 42, told the New Yorker magazine in its expose on Weinstein that the portly film director sexually assaulted her in the 1990s.
After her speech and award presentation to Samal Yeslyamova of “Ayka,” jury president Cate Blanchett stood up and said of Argento’s comments: “It is complicated as a woman to stand.”
A lawyer who reps the beleaguered Weinstein complained about Argento’s speech.
“Being present, I would correct the notion that there was only applause when Ms. Argento spoke. There was an equal amount of stunned silence in the hall,” Filomena Cusano said in an e-mail statement to The Post.
Cusano repeated Weinstein’s assertions that his relationship with Argento was consensual.
“This is clearly a painful moment for Ms. Argento, but it is a false narrative,” Cusano said. “The allegations made are completely false.”
Still, “Harvey Weinstein has only respect for Ms. Argento and wishes her well.”