“Judith Godrèche calls out French film industry’s sexual violence before parliament”, The Guardian

Agence France-Presse in Paris 29 Feb 2024

Actor’s landmark address comes amid claims arts sector has shrugged off sexual abuse for decades

The actor Judith Godrèche has denounced France’s “incestuous” film industry and called for the establishment of a commission of inquiry into sexual violence in the sector as she spoke in front of senators in the upper house of parliament.

The landmark hearing – the first time an artist has spoken to the senate about sexual and gender-based violence in the French film industry – comes amid claims that the world of arts has shrugged off sexism and sexual abuse for decades.

Godrèche, 51, has become a leading voice in France’s #MeToo movementafter accusing directors Benoît Jacquot and Jacques Doillon of sexually assaulting her while she was a teenager. Both have denied the allegations.

“This incestuous family in the film industry is just a reflection of all the families” affected by such violence, Godrèche told the senate’s women’s rights committee.

She said she had received 4,500 testimonies from victims of sexual violence since launching an appeal on social media.

The actor called for the creation of a commission of inquiry into sexual and gender-based violence in the film industry and also for the president of the powerful National Centre of Cinema (CNC), Dominique Boutonnat, to be removed from his position.

Boutonnat, who is supposed to be steering the industry on to a better course, has himself been accused of sexually assaulting his godson in 2020, an allegation he denies.

In 2022, the French government appointed him to serve a second mandate, much to the dismay of feminist associations.

Godrèche also called for the creation of a more effective system of control that would include a neutral adviser at shoots involving minors and an intimacy coordinator for sex scenes.

Dominique Vérien, head of the committee, told AFP before the hearing: “The idea is not to be voyeuristic by bringing her to testify, but to think about what can be done to protect” young people from sexual violence.

Last week, Godrèche received a standing ovation at the César awards as she took to the stage to denounce the use of the film industry as a “cover for illicit trafficking of young girls”.

French prosecutors opened an investigation this month after Godrèche accused Jacquot of raping her during a six-year relationship that started when she was 14 and he was 25 years her senior. She also accused director Doillon of sexually abusing her when she was 15. He was 29 years older at the time.