“Cinemas would rather sell popcorn than support such a cause, a shame”, Sabrina Nouchi’s rant

Marseille director Sabrina Nouchi does not lose her temper the day after the premiere of her film, “that happens”, this Thursday, November 21. A film 100% from Marseille and yet shown in no cinema in the city. A current affairs film which deals with sexual violence in a Marseille police station. Release scheduled for November 27.

It is with Marseille actors, in Marseille settings, filmed in Marseille, that Sabrina Nouchi made this film “it happens”. At the end of the preview screening, this Wednesday, November 20, at the Artplexe cinema, the critics are unanimous, the film does not leave one indifferent, as evidenced by the fascinating debate that followed. However, despite its topical tone, and its 100% Marseille fiber, the film is shunned by the city’s cinemas. This is the rant of Sabrina Nouchi, the director.

Director, actress, producer and head of two acting schools, one in Paris and one in Marseille,“the actors’ factory” Sabrina Nouchi la Marseillaise is speechless, or rather voiceless, to denounce the excitement of the cinemas and of Marseille which, according to her, are not playing the game.

“The film is 100% Marseille, it was shot in Marseille. I am from Marseille, my actors too, even if there are a few Parisians from the Paris actor’s factory school. There are many of Marseille that we have highlighted. Marseille complains all the time that we do not rotate the young Marseilles, I did it Marseille complains all the time that the Parisians arrive and that everything is for them. This is exactly what the Marseille system does, the city gives us no visibility!”

And it’s not money that Sabrina Nouchi is talking about,”I don’t ask them for money. I didn’t ask them for money to do it. I didn’t ask them for money to help me. I just ask them for visibility, something, posters for example. I don’t know, we don’t have a room in Marseille. We don’t have a single one, it’s a shame.” says the director annoyed, pointing out the lack of courage of cinemas: “They would rather sell popcorn than support such a cause, Marseille is the city of shame for me today.”

And the cause the director is talking about is sexual violence, against children, adults, men or women. In the middle of the Mazan rape trial, where Gisèle Pelicot symbolizes all sexual violence against women, and therefore right in the news, no cinema in Marseille dared to program this film. A film which takes you deep into the heart of a Marseille police station, where three investigators from the vice squad collect complaints from victims of rape and sexual assault. A powerful film, raw and without artifice, which shows the distress of the victims, the denial or contempt of the attackers. The film, shot in seven days, brings documentary dynamics and energy while painting the darkest contours of society. “I wanted to talk about that to add nuance because when a cause is defended by people who are too extremist, it cancels itself out for me. And it’s important to add nuance and also add a notion which is very important, which is that sexual violence has no gender, it happens to everyone, it happens to children, it happens to adult men or adult women, it happens”, explains Sabrina Nouchi.

Is the truth of a victim the truth of the facts? Is the need for recognition and reparation always adequately met by the judicial response? So many questions were asked during the debate which followed the screening this Wednesday, November 20. A screening which left some spectators speechless, others came away upset, “impactful film”, “ huge slap”, “sublime” could be heard as we left the cinema. On social networks, the reviews of those who have seen it praise the film and the screenplay by Sabrina Nouchi and Catherine Sorolla.

For the Marseille lawyer, Eric Lanzarone, present at the screening, “a powerful film, made of confrontations, lies, sordid replies… A remarkable interpretation, actors who make the film, a report of the daily life of rape in this police station. What can we say about the indifference of the region’s elected officials? the city of Marseille? Certainly an incongruity. All high schools should program this film which is worth all the political speeches, which were already absent at the Pelicot trial. he explains on social networks, among other comments all rave about the film.

On social networks (see Instagram post above), the film’s production has produced a unitary series of around ten portraits, where we discover certain characters from the film. The actors continue to play their role, but by delving deeper into the character’s biography. Which allows the viewer to enter the world of each character in the film, without trailers or extracts. This is part of the film’s teaser. With this transmedia digital series, we enter more intimately into the lives of the characters.