Read in Catalan

What has happened in Spain for artists and intellectuals to remain absolutely silent, for example at the ceremony for the Goya Awards1, about a situation as scandalous as that of the exiles and Catalan political prisoners and the referendum trial which will start on the 12th in the Supreme Court? How much is the sector's dignity worth in the face of the restraints imposed so that those who act are left out from professional offers in Spain or directly unleash a rejection campaign? The presentation of the Goya Awards was an opportunity, being presented by Catalans and with Catalan artists having to collect prizes.

Between the benevolent version that it's all down to self-censorship by people wanting to preserve their current privileges and the blunt one that in Spain you have to go about with a shield if you want to get out alive and have work, there's not much difference. The silence of the world of culture over the case of Catalonia is, with honourable exceptions, chilling. And worrying too. Maybe that's what these current times are. Forgetting the prisoners and exiles and, in any case, joking about exile for people to laugh at. A Puigdemont with a large yellow loop. What a great idea! Without doubt, on the level of those who thought of it and applauded it. How is there not going to be a complete rupture with such attitudes?

The silence lasted several hours of a gala from people always ready to take a stance in debates between the right and the left. Always ready to align themselves with PSOE or Podemos against the Spanish right who are now quiet. It's easy to go against Aznar or Rajoy and hand in hand with Sánchez, Zapatero or Iglesias. But standing up to the greatest violation of individual political rights that's happened in Spain in recent decades, no. Better to look the other way.

Being predictable makes it none the less imputable. Above all, because nobody can say that their gesture or attitude wasn't important.

 

Translator's note: The Goya Awards (Spanish: Premios Goya) are the leading annual prizes for Spain's cinema industry.