The Assembly relaunches its commissions of inquiry into violence in cinema and child protection

The National Assembly decided on Wednesday to relaunch two commissions of inquiry whose work had been interrupted at the beginning of June by the dissolution: one on sexual violence in the cinema and audiovisual sector, the other on “shortcomings” of child protection. The two proposed resolutions aimed at recreating these commissions of inquiry were adopted unanimously, and “I hope this bodes well for the start of this term”commented the President of the Assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivet, after the first vote.

Concerning sexual violence in cinema, audiovisual, performing arts, fashion and advertising, “it is imperative that we continue” the work started in May, underlined MoDem deputy Erwan Balanant, who chaired the commission of inquiry before the dissolution. Thus recreated, it will aim “to issue recommendations and proposals for legislative developments”he continued.

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This body was set up at the beginning of May, after the accusations made by actress Judith Godrèche against filmmakers Benoît Jacquot and Jacques Doillon. The actress, who has become the spearhead of the #MeToo movement in France, attended the vote on Wednesday, in the stands of the hemicycle. During its first work in the spring, the commission, for example, heard casting directors who came to plead for the law to prohibit all nudity during tests to recruit film actors, in order to prevent sexual violence.

The other commission relaunched on Wednesday is that on “failures of public child protection policies”also created in May, at the request of the socialist group, and whose shutdown the following month left a bitter taste for associations and professionals in the sector. “We now have six months to produce an electric shock and make the State and communities face their responsibilities”commented after the vote the socialist Isabelle Santiago, who was rapporteur of the previous commission.

Faced with a “a system that is running out of steam marked by staff shortages, insufficient controls and funding that does not achieve its objectives”, “the executive will have to provide us with answers quickly”she pleaded in a press release.