Interview: Wellywood Woman & Le Deuxième Regard

Last week I wrote about the French Charter for Equality among Women and Men in the Film Sector and wondered about the situation of the German Film industry under a similar document of commitment (Vive la Nouvelle Révolution du Cinéma!).
Today I am very happy that for the first time I can welcome a guest to SchspIN: Marian Evans from New Zealand,  published an interview with Bérénice Vincent of Le Deuxième Regard, the French group who initiated the Charter on her blog Wellywood Woman.
Marian Evans, is a writer, activist and lawyer, and founder of the Development Project. She has a PhD in Creative Writing from Victoria University of Wellington’s International Institute of Modern Letters.
Bérénice Vincent is a lawyer and is currently working for Legal & Business Affairs of Wild Bunch, an independent Paris-based European film distribution and production services company. She is president of Le Deuxième Regard.

Marian kindly lets me use her interview with Bérénice so now there is a German version available. Thank you very much, Marian!

“It was a beautiful day. Screen Daily reported that France has launched a five-point gender equality charter for its film industry, put together by Le Deuxième Regard, a Paris-based ‘lobby’ (read ‘activist’) group founded by Bérénice Vincent, Delphyne Besse and Julie Billy, who will circulate it for signature, to all segments of the industry.
This charter is, I think, unique. Feminists often work behind the scenes for change. But has a feminist group ever initiated and helped to write a charter that key government ministers and industry figures signed in support, in the arts or any other context?
From here, the charter’s creation and use seems like a brilliant activist strategy because the charter hasn’t had to go through a long legal process, as a court action or piece of legislation. It appears to have cost the taxpayer nothing. Nevertheless, its formality and the quality of the signatories give it real heft.
Of course, I wanted to interview Le Deuxième Regard. And was thrilled when its president Bérénice Vincent agreed.”

For the original English version of the interview please turn directly to the Wellywood Woman blog:
Charte de l’Egalité for French Film Industry: Feminists Make History