“I was paralyzed”: this actress is traumatized by having to film a rape scene at 10 years old

“I was paralyzed”: this actress is traumatized by having to film a rape scene at 10 years old

The cinema community is finally questioning the violence committed within its walls. On October 22, the commission of inquiry into sexist and sexual violence committed in cinema, audiovisual, performing arts, fashion and advertising was formed. On December 18, two French actresses were auditioned. Anna Mouglalis, and Nina Meurisse. The latter, which we recently saw in the film The Story of Souleymane, then testified about a traumatic shooting when she was only a minor.

His appearance in front of the commission was filmed and re-shared by the LCP channel the same day.

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Filming a rape scene at 10 years old

Without naming the people involved, Nina Meurisse says she experienced her first filming at the age of 10. “In this film there is a rape scene. I ask who is going to play this man and I am told that the director does not want me to meet him beforehand. I don’t understand why but apparently it will be better for the scene”relate-t-elle. “They explain to me that I have to walk, that he will stick me against the tree, it will be very simple.”

As the engine starts to turn, the scene will traumatize the actress: “I see a young actor come running who jumps on me, grabs my chest, and tries to lift my dress. We will repeat this scene several times. I’m 10 years old, I’ve never even kissed a boy , I’m paralyzed.”

For simple psychological support, she explains that a young girl taking care of her during filming took her to see “the chicks that were born on the farm next door.” “And at the age of 10, I already know that there is something wrong. I remember as if it were yesterday saying to myself: but do you think you’re going to make me forget that with chicks?” she said, still in shock.

Who protects children in the cinema? In the case of Nina Meurisse, it seems that few adults came between her and the director’s requests. As proof, Nina Meurisse describes another scene from filming at the time.

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“A little later in this filming, a flogging scene. The scene takes place in a pond at night, I’m still ten years old. It’s pitch black, they give me a stick, they tell me to settle down in fed up and hitting my back with it. I do it, without much force at first, which annoys the director who yells at me to do it louder, louder, louder. And the more my rage against her builds, the more I. hits me with incredible violence. In fact, I hit her.”

After many takes, the filming crew allegedly cut the camera and said: “if we do it again we’ll stop filming there.”

And the actress concludes, as if she were still there: “The scene ends but the horror is inside me and I tell myself that they should have stopped sooner.” Was violence addressed by the team at the time? “It will remain a non-subject throughout the filming, there will be no excuses, it was a scene like any other”, she regrets to the commission.