Asia Argento and Ambra Gutierrez will speak publicly for the first time about sexism in Italy and the effects of #MeToo

Tina Brown has revealed to the Guardian that, at her annual Women in the World summit later this month, Harvey Weinstein accusers Asia Argento and Ambra Battilana Gutierrez will appear on a panel with Ronan Farrow, one of the reporters who broke the story of the Hollywood producer’s sexual harassment in the New Yorker last fall.

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Argento, who has appeared in films such as Land of the Dead and Marie Antoinette, accused Weinstein of rape and forcibly performing oral sex on her in 1997 at the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc.

Gutierrez, a Filipino-Italian actor, wore a wire when she encountered Weinstein at a hotel in Tribeca, resulting in audio in which Weinstein can be heard admitting to sexually assaulting her the day before.

The sting operation was set in motion when Gutierrez reported the assault to the NYPD. The Manhattan district attorney’s office dropped the investigation after two weeks, filing no charges.

The actors will be joined at the summit by Laura Boldrini, an Italian journalist and politician who tells the Guardian that “the #MeToo movement in Italy has not had the same strength in impact as in the States.” The ninth annual summit will also feature a panel moderated by Hillary Clinton and appearances by Viola Davis, senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Lisa Murkowski, and the MSNBC anchor Joy Reid.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Laura Boldrini, former President of the Chamber of Deputies of Italy, in Rome. Photograph: Ada Masella

In conversation with Farrow, who in October published a series of investigations into Weinstein’s alleged systemic abuse, Argento will talk for the first time about how she has been treated in the wake of her allegations, the reception she has received in Italy, and the difficulties faced by Italian women particularly with regard to sexism and harassment. “Americans tend to have a romantic view of Italy,” she told the Guardian. “The reality, for a working woman, is different: the rise of Berlusconi has only made it worse, institutionalizing sexism and oppression and making it acceptable.”

Both Argento and Gutierrez have weathered a storm of criticism from the Italian press for their personal disclosures, as well as their efforts to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace.

“A theme of Women in the World this year is how to take #MeToo global and take it to places where misogyny drowns it out,” Brown told the Guardian. “One of those countries is post-Berlusconi Italy, where sexism is served up every day like pasta.”

Before revealing her story in the same New Yorker article, Gutierrez memorably testified against the Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, after attending one of his “bunga bunga” parties. During an investigation into Berlusconi’s conduct with an underaged prostitute (he was ultimately found not guilty of paying her for sex), Gutierrez revealed that she had been offered Tiffany jewelry on a silver platter and had been selected as one of the women “destined for Berlusconi’s bedroom” at the party.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Ronan Farrow: ‘I’m honored that Asia and Ambra will be joining for this important conversation.’ Photograph: Lucas Jackson / Reuters/Reuters

The former prime minister was initially convicted of the charge but was later acquitted on appeal. Afterwards, Gutierrez was maligned in Italian media for her testimony; she was met with a similar backlash from American media organizations after coming forward with the Weinstein accusation. In the New York Post, Gutierrez was referred to as the “image of the perfect she-devil” and subject to a slew of speculative articles about her motivations for coming forward.

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“The situation in Italy – where the mainstream press has viciously shamed women, including Asia Argento, for speaking out about this issue – provides a window into just how far we still have to go in so much of the world,” added Farrow. “I’m honored that Asia, and another Italian woman who was instrumental in breaking the Weinstein story, Ambra Gutierrez, will be joining us for this important conversation.”

Battilana Gutierrez adds: “When Ronan’s story was released in October, I felt relieved and started to come out of my depression knowing this behavior would no longer be accepted and soon come to an end.”

The Women in the World Summit, which will tackle the #MeToo movement as well issues such as human trafficking and pay inequity, will take place 12-14 April at Lincoln Center in New York City. Hillary Clinton will be leading a debate on the rise of strongmen dictators in Russia, Turkey, and China alongside journalists from those regions. All three days of the summit will be available to live-stream on the Women in the World website.