Last July, several victims of sexual assault testified about Abbé Pierre. Six months earlier, Benjamin Lavernhe played the man of the Church on screen in a biopic paying tribute to him. This Sunday, November 10, the actor broke his silence about this affair.
Beyond the horror of the numerous testimonies accumulating since last July and the obvious trauma of the victims, the “Abbé Pierre” affair has had serious consequences, on more than one level. Among this “collateral damage”, the fate of the film directed by Frédéric Tellier. Entitled “L'Abbé Pierre: A life of combat”, this biopic, released in theaters in November 2023, met with rapid success with the public but its future is now in doubt.
Fatally, following the revelations concerning Abbé Pierre, the posterity of the feature film was largely compromised. Last September, the director expressed his affliction for the first time about the affair in the columns of “Ouest France”: I fell from a very high place… I first had, like many people I think, a form of astonishment. Then the feeling of having been betrayed, of falling into a pit of manure. But I especially thought of the women who were his victims. »
The rest after this ad
Benjamin Lavernhe, “collapsed”
For his part, Benjamin Lavernhe – nominated in the “Best Actor” category at the 2024 César, precisely for his interpretation of Abbé Pierre – remained silent for several months. This Sunday, November 10, in the movie show “Beau geste” broadcast on France 2, the actor shared his resentment.
The rest after this ad
Coming to present “En Fanfare” with Pierre Lottin, his on-screen partner, Benjamin Lavernhe agreed to discuss the subject. Pierre Lescure, the former president of the Cannes Film Festival and presenter of the show, began: “You (…)still have not forgiven Abbé Pierre for this betrayal. It stops the career of the film which had done well in theaters but which can no longer be seen now…”
Deeply affected by this affair, the actor replied: “It's terrible because I think of the victims, there are twenty-five terrible testimonies. Obviously I feel a great betrayal, a great sadness, astonishment. I'm looking for words but it's difficult to find them… Fear too, because somewhere he was a friend, I feel like I knew him a little, but ultimately not so well. »
The rest after this ad
The rest after this ad
This statement on the subject of the attacks committed by Abbé Pierre is the first for Benjamin Lavernhe. The actor did not hide his sorrow: “How could this guy who could do such extraordinary things behave so badly and beyond. The duality of the human being… Ambivalence is always a shock and of course with Frédéric Tellier and all the teams, we are devastated. And above all the power of secrecy, to say to yourself that you missed it and didn't see it, that's what's the most terrible. It's going to take time to recover. »
The Abbé Pierre Foundation, also a victim
In a press release published on November 6 on their website, the Abbé Pierre Foundation announced a major decision via the comments made by its general delegate, Christophe Robert: “Despite the terrible revelations about the abbot Pierre who caused a shock wave within the entire company and our difficult decision to change our name, our role remains the same. We are going to write a new chapter for the Foundation, but our mission is to continue to fight poor housing, exclusion and inequalities. The Foundation changes its name, no fight. »
For the first time since its creation in 1987, the Foundation will change its name. Inevitably, the logo will also be impacted. For the moment, no information on the chosen name has been declared, the press release justified it: “The legal steps to change the name have been initiated but it is a cumbersome legal procedure. The Foundation nevertheless hopes to be able to announce its name soon. »
