The sequence will remain engraved in the history of the Festival. On May 22, the unknown and disabled actors of “Un p’tit truc en plus” set the red carpet usually reserved for the stars on fire. “I was very moved to see them climb the steps, to see Artus carry this young actor to the top… It was a gesture of solidarity, a moment of communion. We were all proud,” confides Samuel Le Bihan, sponsor of Positive Cinema Week in Cannes and father of an autistic daughter.
The reluctance of brands to dress the cast of the film, as well as the inaccessibility of the famous Festival steps to people with disabilities, are part of the difficulties encountered by comedian Artus and his gang, and reveal the immense progress that remains to be made. “The great mechanism of inclusion is not yet oiled. There is still a way to go before parents want to send their child to summer camp with disabled friends. Artus’ film could change their minds! » says Florent Chapel, co-author of “Autism. The great investigation” (ed. Les Arènes). This father of an 18-year-old autistic person is also the co-president of the Autisme info service platform, created with Samuel Le Bihan.
Professor Thomas Bourgeron highlighted the genetic origin of autism
If this activist has continued to question, sometimes virulently, successive governments, he has also seen the emergence of “a new form of collective consciousness”. For him, our society’s view of fragility, difference and disability has evolved over the last fifteen years. “All it takes is a touching film, the testimony of a personality about their illness, a successful book, the freeing of the words of patients and caregivers… Health, which interested no one thirty years ago, became a social issue. Even if a lot of work remains to be done in National Education and in the business world…” Long reduced to people in wheelchairs, the perception of disability is becoming more refined. “We are beginning to realize that 80% of disabilities are invisible (notably cognitive disorders) and that they take on a multitude of aspects. People are also increasingly concerned about mental health. » The more difference “enters our lives”, he notes, and the more big brands are interested in it: the Café Joyeux brand, which employs people with mental disabilities, is increasing the number of restaurants and prestigious collaborations .
Scientific research has also helped transform our vision of autism. “Many families have been made to feel guilty, particularly mothers, wrongly accused by psychoanalysis of coldness and rejection. Some, suspected of abuse, had their child taken away,” explains Professor Thomas Bourgeron, who highlighted the main cause of this disease, genetics. In 2010, he was the first researcher to identify genes associated with Asperger’s syndrome. Recent studies highlight that this multifaceted disorder can be explained by gene mutations: out of 1,800 genes, 200 are recognized as being involved. For eighteen months, the scientist has been leading a participatory research project. “Until now, autistic people have been studied, but no one has really listened to them to find out their real problems, their needs and their desires. We will distinguish with them the risk and resilience factors. They will be able to determine their own objectives. The goal is to define the most suitable environments based on the mutated gene families. »
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Artus won an extremely daring bet: to bring the public together around difference by tackling all the taboos
Samuel Le Bihan
Stéf Bonnot-Briey, autistic Asperger, consultant and trainer on autism spectrum disorder, is fighting another battle. “The notion of living together which makes sense for all people, whether or not they have a disability. Let’s stop talking about inclusive schools or businesses. We want to talk about school for all, business for all, vacations for all,” insists this expert. She recognizes progress “for people” but emphasizes: “Our society still has difficulty with disability, it must not be disturbing, it must not require too much effort. » The consultant is outraged at the denial of fundamental rights in France: “When a child does not go to school, we do not respect their rights. In other countries, where these rights are not discussed, it benefits from specific arrangements. It is because he has the right to go to school that he has the right to assistance. We don’t have this logic in France. »
For Samuel Le Bihan, “Artus won an extremely daring challenge: to bring the public together around difference by tackling all the taboos. He plays a disabled person, puts them on display and treats the subject in the register of comedy. With great kindness, elegance and, while he is not personally concerned, he delivers a message that advances society. » In Cannes, this year, the climb of the steps definitely had “a little something extra”.
