Italian filmmaker wears 'Weinstein is innocent' t-shirt on red carpet

An Italian right-wing ‘provocateur’ and filmmaker has hit headlines after wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the words ‘Weinstein is innocent’ at a red carpet event at the Venice Film Festival.

Luciano Silighini Garagnani was attending the world premiere of Luca Guadagnino’s new horror remake Suspiria, stopping on the concourse to pull open his jacket, which also boasted a picture of the disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein.

The stunt was condemned by Alberto Barbara, the festival chief, who told Deadline that it was ‘a stupid move’.

Garagnani is a former casting director turned filmmaker behind a number of low-budget movie projects, though one leading Italian movie distributor added to Deadline that they had never heard of him.

As well as being a long-time supporter of former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, Garagnani is also a vocal supporter of the US republican party, and donated to Donald Trump’s campaign, according to information posted on his IMDb page.

One of his recent movies, Uno di Noi, translated as ‘one of us’, attempted a positive spin on ‘the real life of Silvio Berlusconi and Bunga Bunga night’, the infamous sex parties which dogged Berlusconi’s career.

Weinstein has been accused by more than 70 women over alleged incidents of sexual harassment, assault, and in several cases, rape.

Criminal investigations are taking place in London, New York and Los Angeles.

The 66-year-old producer behind movies from Pulp Fiction and Shakespeare In Love, is currently on bail after being arrested and charged with rape in New York.

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