In November 2019, during the second edition of the Assises on parity, equality and diversity in the cinema, the former Minister of Culture, Franck Riester, announced the government’s choice to condition funding aid from now on, in cinema, respecting rules against sexual harassment.
Since October 2020, approximately 3,100 producers (in film, television and video games) and 513 exhibitors have completed a half-day training session on the prevention of gender-based and sexual violence in the workplace. Organized by the National Center for Cinema and the Moving Image (CNC), the training is provided by the European Association against violence against women at work (AVFT), created in 1985 – the public market that binds the AVFT at the CNC runs until the end of 2023.
General delegate of the AVFT, and trainer in the field, Marilyn Baldeck is regularly challenged on the articulation between the principle of the presumption of innocence, and the possibility of suspending from their functions people accused of assault or rape, before the outcome of the criminal proceedings.
In what climate do the training courses take place, in the film industry?
It is generally very positive, given the number of questions, often relevant, asked in training, and which sometimes continue to arise after the meeting… Often, people tell us that they came dragging their feet, and that they finally leave very happy. For example, Tuesday, October 4, during a session with theater operators in Angoulême, the satisfaction was palpable, there was a desire to understand the issues and to do well. Some production companies also ask us to train their teams in the field. This was the case, in July 2021, of Newen France, which notably produces More beautiful life [le feuilleton-phare de France 3, qui va s’arrêter en novembre]or, in April, Federation Entertainment, which, for example, produced The Office of Legends.
However, did you come up against any resistance from participants?
Since this training, as well as a knowledge validation test, is mandatory to obtain CNC aid, we have also provided training in front of men either accused of sexual violence, or who have publicly shown their support for actors. or directors accused of sexual assault or rape. Most of the time, they don’t speak, and when they do, it’s to express their annoyance at having to comply with the constrained framework put in place by the CNC, when it’s usually them who are in control, and even for some in omnipotence. But these cases remain in the minority.
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