RedDevilQuebecois
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This came to people's attention in the French-speaking world in the last few days, including on this side of the Atlantic. French actress Judith Godrèche went public about being groomed by arthouse film-maker Benoît Jacquot when she was only 14 while he was 39 back in 1987.
The following paragraphs from the article are damning not only for Jacquot but also the entire French film industry.
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The following paragraphs from the article are damning not only for Jacquot but also the entire French film industry.
Godrèche at first did not name Jacquot as the director referenced in her series. But after footage emerged from a 2011 TV documentary in which Jacquot boasted about their relationship being a “transgression” and cinema providing a “cover” for it, she decided to name him.
Last month Godrèche told the Guardian of the importance of speaking out about the grooming of teenagers by older men in positions of authority. She said: “These people usually come to you as protectors. They become a parental figure.”
In 2017, Godrèche was one of the first actors to speak to the New York Times about the film producer Harvey Weinstein, who she said had attempted to assault her in a hotel at the Cannes film festival when she was 26. But she told the Guardian that the French film industry was still protecting powerful men and that people in the industry were scared to speak out.
She said: “People who are still in this industry are still not coming forward. And I’m not here to carry out a witch-hunt, but you might expect a little compassion … It’s bizarre for everyone that I’m suddenly coming out and telling this story. The omertà in the industry is still so strong.”