The director of the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in Paris, Tomaz Jolli, dismissed recent criticism of his four-hour show, which featured drag artists. He insists that the performance was intended to create an atmosphere of love and tolerance.
First of all, it is important to understand the concept of “drag.” It means exaggerated masculinity, femininity, or other forms of gender expression. A drag queen is someone who portrays femininity (usually a man), while a drag king is someone who portrays masculinity (usually a woman).
Unusual Venue
The ceremony took place on the banks of the Seine, near iconic landmarks such as Île de la Cité, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Louvre, Tuileries Garden, and the Eiffel Tower. It was the first time a Summer Olympics opened outside the main competition stadium.
Denial of Accusations
Jolli refuted claims that the nearly naked actor scene was inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” fresco. Some Catholic groups and French bishops condemned this episode, considering it a mockery of Christianity. The criticism focused on the scene with dancers, a drag queen, and a DJ in poses resembling “The Last Supper” of Jesus Christ with his disciples.
Official Statement by the Organizing Committee
The press secretary of the “Paris-2024” organizing committee, Anna Decamp, stated: “It is obvious that we never intended to show disrespect to any religious group. If anyone felt offended, we sincerely apologize for it.”
Show Script
The criticized scene featured French actor Phillippe Catrin, who appeared nearly naked on a silver plate decorated with flowers and fruits. “The idea was to show a great pagan festival linked to the gods of Olympus,” explained Jolli in an interview with BFM channel. Catrin portrayed Dionysus – the god of wine and pleasure in ancient Greek mythology.
Director’s Intention
“You will never find in my work any desire to ridicule or denigrate anyone. I wanted the ceremony to unite people and at the same time affirm our commitment to republican values of freedom, equality, and brotherhood,” added Jolly.
French far-right parties, including the National Rally party’s representative Julien Odoul, called the ceremony “plundering of French cultural heritage.” Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Maria Zakharova, commenting on the Olympics opening and the scene with the “Last Supper,” wrote in her Telegram channel about “LGBT mockery of a sacred Christian story” and “an all-out gay parade.”
France-Presse agency reported that according to a survey conducted by the Harris research group on behalf of the Olympic committee, 86% of respondents in France positively evaluated the opening ceremony of the Games.
