On 28 February 2020, Haenel, along with Noémie Merlant, Céline Sciamma and Aïssa Maïga, walked out of the 45th César Awards ceremony after Roman Polanski, who was convicted of raping 13-year old Samantha Geimer, won the award for Best Director for his film "An Officer and a Spy". As Haenel left, she waved her fist and shouted "La honte!" (“Shame!”), and after exiting the auditorium, she was filmed clapping sarcastically and shouting "Bravo la pédophilie!" ("Bravo, paedophilia!").