A Dutch court on Tuesday rejected a request by Michel Houellebecq to ban Kirac 27, a film he considers defamatory, described as porn and featuring the world bestselling author. In the trailer for this film, directed by the Dutch collective Kirac, the writer appears shirtless kissing a young woman in bed. Michel Houellebecq believes that this had damaged his reputation and that he was portrayed as a “porn star”.
The court “refuses the injunctions requested and orders Houellebecq to pay the costs of the proceedings, estimated to date at 1,393 euros”, declared the summary judge of the Amsterdam court. “It is incomprehensible that Houellebecq participated in the recordings if he found the contract really problematic,” he explained in a written judgment.
“I hope Michel will be happy with the result”
The judge rejected Michel Houellebecq’s claims that he only signed the contract because he was depressed and drunk. The author described the verdict as “very disappointing”, his Dutch lawyer Jacqueline Schaap told AFP. “Mr. Houellebecq is seriously considering an urgent appeal,” she added.
The film’s director, Stefan Ruitenbeek, said he was relieved by the decision. “I always intended to make a portrait with integrity. I hope Michel will be happy with the result,” he said in a statement released by his attorney. In February, Michel Houellebecq lost a similar lawsuit in a French court.