Credits: GAllegre / Wikimedia Commons — CC0.
Judith Godrèche, the celebrated French actress, recently made allegations of sexual abuse against director Jacques Doillon. The events are said to have taken place when she was only 15. These revelations come after the actress filed a complaint for rape of a minor against Benoît Jacquot. The incidents are said to have taken place between 1986 and 1992, a period during which she worked with both men.
The actress shared troubling details about Doillon’s behavior. During the shooting of a film, after firing an actor, Doillon allegedly decided to play a love scene himself, making advances toward Judith Godrèche. She describes the experience as extremely painful, both for her and for Jane Birkin — who had her daughter Lou Doillon with the director — who was present on set at the time.
At the same time, new testimonies accusing Benoît Jacquot of similar behavior are emerging. The actress Julia Roy, among others, refers to the actor’s manipulative and abusive behavior, while others denounce physical and psychological violence.
With the controversy surrounding Gérard Depardieu still ongoing, this case suggests a more systemic problem within French cinema. The imminent release of Jacques Doillon’s CE2 and Benoît Jacquot’s Belle raises questions about how their work will be received, given these accusations.
Doillon recently appeared in a documentary alongside media psychoanalyst Gérard Miller who, according to Elle magazine, allegedly sexually assaulted 40 women. To date, only one complaint has been filed against the psychoanalyst, who denies everything. The courts will decide in the coming months…