Short film
“Moi Aussi”: Film about the second MeToo wave in France
“Moi aussi” (French for “Me Too”) shows around 1000 people on a street in Paris. photo
© Andreea Alexandru/Invision/AP/dpa
A new wave of MeToo has broken out in France in recent months. It was triggered by the actress Judith Godrèche – who presented a film on the subject in Cannes.
“Moi aussi” is the title of a new short film that provides insight into the current MeToo debate France there. Judith Godrèche’s work premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
It shows people describing their experiences with sexual abuse. Godrèche collected the voices of people who contacted her after the actress publicly denounced sexual abuse in the film industry. The 52-year-old triggered a new MeToo wave in France.
“Moi aussi” (French for “Me Too”) shows around 1000 people on a street in Paris. They cover their mouths with their hands, then later hug each other or interact with each other in other ways. Among the crowd – mostly women – Godrèche’s daughter can be seen. She imitates the gestures of those gathered and dances slowly through the crowd. Maybe she wants to find a physical expression for the pain that speaks from the stories that are shown as voice-overs. “I was 19, he was famous…” says a voice off camera.
5,000 reports of sexual abuse in 15 days
Godrèche accuses French directors Benoît Jacquot and Jacques Doillon of sexual abuse. Her allegations – which the directors deny – relate to the 1980s, when she was a teenager. At the César Film Awards in February, she gave a speech against sexual abuse in the film industry.
Also in February, she set up an email address for those affected, as she explains in the film. “In 15 days I received 5,000 stories,” she sums up. Excerpts from this can now be heard in “Moi Aussi”. Yesterday Godrèche came to the red carpet in Cannes with part of the film team. There they also held their hands over their mouths.
Accusations against French producers
Since February, many people in the French film industry have spoken out about sexual abuse. Just on Monday, the French edition of “Elle” magazine reported that nine women have accused the well-known French producer Alain Sarde of rape or sexual harassment. A lawyer for the accused denied the allegations.
In response to the current debate, France’s National Assembly recently created a commission of inquiry into the situation of minors in certain cultural areas.
Reports: Depardieu foregoes speaking role in festival film
Meanwhile, French actor Gérard Depardieu will also have to stand trial in October. He is charged with two counts of alleged sexual assault in September 2021. An investigation against the 75-year-old over allegations of rape has been ongoing since 2020. It is still unclear whether a trial will follow in this case too. For years, women have repeatedly come forward to accuse Depardieu of sexual violence.
The famous actor was reportedly originally slated to narrate a film in this year’s festival competition. According to several French media outlets, after the new allegations became known, he withdrew from his part in the animated film “La Plus Précieuse des marchandises” by Michel Hazanavicius (“The Artist”) some time ago.