On the occasion of International Women’s Day (8 March 2026), the Embassies of France and Germany jointly invite you to a special evening dedicated to gender equality, combining debate and cinema.
Panel discussion
For decades, it seemed that the gap between women and men was slowly but surely narrowing in many parts of the West. Women’s demands for rights were increasingly being heard internationally, and the path toward gender equality appeared broader and more secure.
However, today we are witnessing a backlash against gender equality in many societies. The resurgence of so-called “traditional” gender roles is becoming more visible, for example through restricted access to abortion, the “trad wife” movement, or narratives promoting “alpha males” and portraying feminism as the root cause of men’s difficulties.
Where does this backlash come from? What impact does it have on societies, and does it threaten achievements already made in terms of gender equality? Why is there an increasingly polarized narrative suggesting that gender equality is detrimental to men? How can we address the underlying issues, and what can we as societies do to give the topic of gender equality a positive and inclusive perspective again?
These questions will be discussed with the following panelists:
- Václav Láska, Senator of the Czech Parliament
- Ivan Jablonka, Member of the Institut universitaire de France and Professor at Paris-Sorbonne University
- Marc Gärtner, Bundesforum Männer – Interessenverband für Männer, Jungen und Väter e.V. (Federal Forum for Men – Interest Association for Boys, Men and Fathers)
- Magdalena Skonecká or Diana Soták Gregorová, Czech Women’s Lobby
- Jan Drobný, Liga otevřených mužů
The discussion will be moderated by Kateřina Šafaříková (Seznam Zprávy).
Language: English, with simultaneous interpretation into Czech.
Film screening
The panel discussion will be followed by a screening of the film La Nuit du 12 (The Night of the 12th).
Directed by Dominik Moll and presented at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022, La Nuit du 12 is an atmospheric and gripping crime drama inspired by real-life cases. The film follows a police investigation into the murder of a young woman, focusing not only on the mechanics of the inquiry but also on the questions it raises about violence against women, masculinity, and the persistent blind spots of justice systems.
Through its restrained style and psychological depth, the film offers a powerful and unsettling reflection on the relationships between women and men, echoing many of the themes addressed during the panel discussion.
The film will be screened in French, with Czech and English subtitles.
Free Entrance but reservation required
To register, please click on the ticket icon on the right, below the photograph.
