The French newspaper Release spoke of ‘regret porn’: Houellebecq and his wife Qianyun Li signed a contract with director Stefan Ruitenbeek in which they agreed to make a film for an audience of 18 years and older, in which ‘sexual acts or genitals’ are shown. However, it was contractually stipulated that the genitals and faces of Houellebecq and Li could not be shown in one shot.
During the court hearing at the end of February, Ruitenbeek’s lawyer stated that especially Li had insisted on a porn film in which Houellebecq would play the leading role. ‘I want him in a porn movie. I want him to stop being depressed. And I want him to find hope, if only for once,’ said Li in front of Ruitenbeek’s camera.
However, Houellebecq and Li were shocked when the trailer for the film appeared online at the end of January. In a voice-over, Ruitenbeek said that Houellebecq had initially wanted to go to Morocco. Before that trip, Li would have spent a month arranging the prostitutes from Paris. When that trip fell through, fearing attacks by Islamists, Ruitenbeek offered to come to Amsterdam, where enough young women would find it exciting to sleep with a famous author.
French courts do not consider themselves competent
The French writer and his wife experienced this representation as a gross attack on their private lives. That is why they asked the judge in Paris to prohibit the distribution of the trailer and the film. They also demanded compensation of 200,000 euros. The judge ruled against them on Friday. She did not consider herself competent to judge the film, because the contract is governed by Dutch law.
It did, however, consider itself authorized to make a statement about the trailer. She did not agree with Houellebecq and Li’s objections, also because Ruitenbeek’s lawyer produced a Whatsapp message from Li at the hearing, which seemed to support the director’s lecture: ‘I am looking for prostitutes in Casablanca (so cheap) and he knows It.’ Houellebecq must pay damages of 2,000 euros to Ruitenbeek.
It is not known whether Houellebecq will now challenge the distribution of the film in the Netherlands. ‘I still hope to come to an agreement with Michel,’ says director Stefan Ruitenbeek. “It would be unfair not to distribute the film after all the effort I put into it. It would also be unfair to the girls who worked on it.’
right wing philosopher
Kirac (Keeping It Real Art Critics) is known for provocative art criticism and controversial films. The collective previously made the film Honey Pot, in which the right-wing philosopher Sid Lukkassen agreed to have sex with a left-wing girl. Lukkassen also regretted it and withdrew his cooperation, but the film was shown.
Honey Pot was also sent to Houellebecq, said Ruitenbeek’s lawyer. The film with Houellebecq was scheduled to premiere on March 11. Due to all the fuss, it will probably be later. May was discussed during the trial.
