A screening of Piece by Piece, a biopic about musician Pharrell Williams told using Lego, faced disruption when animal rights protesters interrupted the event.
The screening, held at the Royal Festival Hall, closed the festival but was delayed as campaigners hung banners from the balcony and shouted, “stop the torture, stop the pain.”
Their protest targeted fashion house Louis Vuitton, where Williams serves as men’s creative director, for using animal skins and fur in their designs.
Williams, who was on stage at the time, remained composed and responded to the activists with applause, saying, “God bless you.”
He then addressed the audience, acknowledging the importance of the protesters’ message.
“The changes they seek don’t happen overnight,” he said. “It takes a lot of planning, and we are working on those things. But they want to be heard, so we heard them.”
Since February 2023, Williams has held the role of creative director for Louis Vuitton’s men’s collection.
BBC News has reached out to Louis Vuitton for a comment on the protest.
This incident marks the second time Williams’ biopic has been disrupted by animal rights groups.
At the film’s premiere at the Toronto Film Festival last month, protesters similarly targeted Louis Vuitton’s use of animal materials.
A woman took to the stage, urging Williams to “stop supporting killing animals for fashion.” Williams responded positively, telling her, “You’re right. God bless you,” and encouraging the audience to applaud her.
After the protester was removed, Williams emphasized the gradual nature of change, saying, “Rome wasn’t made in a day. Sometimes you have to get in a position of power and influence to change minds and help progression.”
Piece by Piece, directed by Morgan Neville, portrays Williams’ journey from his early life in Virginia to his rise as a global star, using Lego bricks in a creative approach to the biopic format.
The film is set for release in the UK next month and has received generally positive reviews, with critics praising its “inventive” take on Williams’ life story.
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