In a surprising turn of events, Harvey Weinstein – the jailed Hollywood producer whose New York rape conviction was recently reversed – was reportedly reaching out to contacts at the Cannes Film Festival from prison this month, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Despite his incarceration, Weinstein allegedly managed to stay connected with his former playground in the south of France. The development caused a stir among industry insiders.
The alleged interaction included Weinstein's communication with Alexandra Vino – his former partner – to help her with party invitations and connections at the prestigious festival, according to TheWrap.
Vino, an actress and artist who was seen in Cannes recently, reportedly benefited from Weinstein's assistance over the phone.
One incident involved Vino getting into a yacht party during the ongoing film festival in France. Sources who saw Weinstein’s ex at the yacht party could not explain how Vino got in.
“When people asked her name, she replied: It doesn’t matter, I am an heiress,” one insider said. “Nobody seems to know how she got into the party.”
“She may be using a fake name or perhaps paid to go as somebody’s plus one?” the source continued. “Harvey likely still has some powerful connections, but nobody wants his name associated with an event which many accomplished people in the film industry can’t attend or get on the guest list.”
Weinstein's spokesperson, Juda Engelmayer, denied the allegations. She stated that Weinstein did not have a cell phone and only used a prison phone for calls.
Engelmayer also suggested that if Weinstein was contacting anyone in Cannes, it was through a local intermediary.
“He doesn’t have a cell phone. It’s a prison pay per call phone,” the disgraced producer’s spokesperson told TheWrap. “I can’t confirm he’s calling anyone in Cannes, but if so, he’s calling someone local and having that person add a call to France.”
Engelmayer further clarified that Weinstein and Vino were no longer together and insisted that the former Hollywood kingpin was not facilitating Vino’s access to parties at Cannes.
“He is in the West Facility on Rikers Island and does not have it easy,” she explained. “He and Alexandra are no longer an item, and he is not helping her get into parties at Cannes.”
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Despite Engelmayer's statement, sources close to the matter expressed disbelief at Weinstein's ability to connect from prison.
Former associates and festival executives reacted with shock and emphasized the controversial nature of Weinstein's continued influence and connections within the industry.
“I cannot believe that is true,” one of Weinstein’s former associates reacted.
“Incredible,” another Cannes executive remarked.
Weinstein's history at European festivals – particularly Cannes and Venice – as environments for his alleged misconduct added a layer of complexity to his recent alleged actions.
The #MeToo movement, which was highlighted by speeches like Asia Argento's at Cannes back in 2018, shed further light on the darker side of such events where power dynamics and abuses of authority often go unchecked.
The news of Weinstein's involvement at Cannes, albeit remotely from prison, also raised newfound questions about accountability and the extent of his network even after facing serious legal repercussions.
As Weinstein’s past actions continue to reverberate through the entertainment industry, his alleged interactions from behind bars underscored the lingering impact of his once-dominant Hollywood presence.