They help actors and actresses prepare and choreograph sex scenes in cinema. Intimacy coordinators – mainly women – appeared around fifteen years ago in the United States. Today propelled by the Metoo phenomenon, this profession is arriving in Europe, but it is struggling to be recognized. The magazine 15 Minutes set out to meet these new figures in the film industry.
“I know how hard it is to say no as an actor. There is this idea that you have to be ready for anything, but that’s not true. You always find plan B.” Nathalie Allison knows this well, she has experienced it herself. This Scottish actress trained in intimacy coordination in Canada. Today, she is one of four active professionals in France and she is regularly called to film sets to supervise sex scenes.
“My job is first to read the script to understand the world in which these scenes take place. Then, I speak with the director to understand their vision.” The intimacy coordinator then conducts interviews with the actors and actresses to discuss their wishes, their limits and finally prepare and choreograph every detail of the erotic scenes.
What we want to avoid at all costs is a shoot like “Last Tango in Paris”. In 1972, actress Maria Schneider was traumatized by a rape scene with Marlon Brando. “When we notice when reading the script that the intimate scenes are very lacking in detail, it is then up to the actors to make suggestions and that leaves room for lots of things, for abuse, because there is no not always consent,” says actress Barbara Beddouk.
The actress took part in a round table in Paris on the issue. The event was organized by the 50/50 collective and the Divé+ association, which are committed to the recognition of this profession and the implementation of approved training.
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A profession that comes from the United States
Among the activists, assistant director Marine Longuet believes that France is behind on these issues. “We are witnessing a bit of an American landing, with platforms like HBO or Netflix imposing their practices when they work on European soil.”
French production teams thus find themselves working on American shoots, with intimacy coordinators and on French shoots, where these reflections have not yet taken place.
The French-speaking world is behind on these issues. Because France is a leader in film production, it has more difficulty questioning its processes
Between Metoo revelations and fear of censorship
What is certain is that this new profession leaves no one indifferent. While the issue of abuse on set found a place at the Cannes festival with the documentary by Judith GodrècheJury President and “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig spoke about intimacy coordinators during her press conference.
According to her, this presence on the sets should be obvious. However, others fear a form of censorship. For the director of the Zurich Film Festival, Christian Jungen, there is certainly a fashion effect: “I think this profession will disappear one day. When you make a film, you also have to be able to trust the people you work with .”
In Switzerland, these new practices are gradually making their way. A trained intimacy coordinator is currently active on certain sets. For its part, the Federal Office of Culture emphasizes that the subsidies allocated to cinema could one day also support this profession. On the other hand, there is no question of making it compulsory on film sets.
Radio report: Anne Fournier
Web adaptation: Joëlle Cachin
