French actresses who were victims of sexual harassment and rape during their minor years have begun to expose their directors. Actress Judith Godrèche, speaking at the 49th César Awards on February 23, urged the French film industry to break its omertà: “Let us have the courage to say out loud what we know in silence.”
French actresses who were victims of sexual harassment and rape during their minor years have begun to expose their directors. Actress Judith Godrèche, speaking at the 49th César Awards on February 23, urged the French film industry to break its omertà: “Let us have the courage to say out loud what we know in silence.”
A French actress has called on the industry to raise their voices against abusive, powerful men in the industry, even if it means risking their careers.
The significant moment when Adèle Haenel and Céline Sciamma, two prominent figures in French cinema, left the auditorium with cries of “Shame!” during the 2020 César Awards, also known as France’s Oscars, is etched in memory. That year, all the major awards went to men, including Roman Polanski, who was accused of raping minors and won the Best Director award.
This time, the shockwave caused by Gérard Depardieu and actress Judith Godrèche accusing directors Benoît Jacquot and Jacques Doillon of raping a child under the age of 15 on February 6th, cast a shadow over the 49th César Awards held on February 23rd.
According to The Guardian, Godrèche, in her speech at the awards ceremony, urged the French film industry to break its omertà regarding sexual violence and assaults. Godrèche’s speech, recounting the sexual assault and abuse by two famous directors at a young age, was met with a standing ovation.
“Let us have the courage to say out loud what we know in silence”
“For some time now the word has been out; the image of our idealised fathers has flayed, power seems to be wavering. Is it possible that we can look the truth in the eye, take responsibility, to be the actors in a world that is being called into question?” she said.
“I know it’s scary: losing grants, losing roles, losing your job. I’m scared too. I left school at 15, I don’t have a high school diploma, nothing. It would be complicated to be blacklisted from everything. It wouldn’t be fun.”
She added: “Silence has been my driving force for 30 years. Why allow this art we love so much, this art that binds us together, to be used as a cover for the illicit trafficking of young girls? It’s in your hands. We are in the spotlight at the dawn of a new day. We can decide that men accused of rape should not be allowed to call the shots in the cinema.
“The world is watching us … we’re lucky enough to live in a country where it seems that freedom exists. So, with the same moral strength we use to create, let us have the courage to say out loud what we know in silence.
“Let us not embody heroines on screen, only to find ourselves hiding in the woods in real life; let us not embody revolutionary or humanist heroes, only to wake up in the morning knowing that a director has abused a young actress and say nothing.”