Consent (2023 French film) explained

Consent
Native Name:
Director:	Vanessa Filho
Cinematography:	Guillaume Schiffman^[1]
Runtime:	118 minutes
Language:	French
Budget:	€3,7 million
Gross:	$4,6 million^[2]

Consent (French: '''Le Consentement''') is a 2023 biographical drama film directed by Vanessa Filho, from a screenplay co-written by Filho, Vanessa Springora, and François Pirot, based on Springora's 2020 best-selling memoir of the same title describing the sexual abuse she experienced beginning at age 14 from author Gabriel Matzneff,^[3] then 49.^[4] It stars Kim Higelin, Jean-Paul Rouve, Laetitia Casta, and Élodie Bouchez. The film is a co-production between France and Belgium. It was released theatrically in France by Pan Distribution and in Belgium by Anga Distribution on 11 October 2023.

The film received two nominations at the 2024 César Awards, Best Adaptation and Best Female Revelation.

Plot

Vanessa Springora was 14 when she was groomed by Gabriel Matzneff, becoming his muse and victim. After experiences with a troubled home life, Vanessa loses herself under Matzneff's destructive control.

Cast

• as Vanessa Springora
• Jean-Paul Rouve as Gabriel Matzneff
• Laetitia Casta as Vanessa's mother
• Élodie Bouchez as Vanessa Springora in 2013
• Jean Chevalier as Youri
• Lolita Chammah as the best friend of Vanessa's mother
• David Clavel as Michel
• Agathe Dronne as Christiane
• Christophe Grégoire as Bernard
• Doby Broda as Muriel
• Irène Ismaïloff as the concierge
• Annie Mercier as The doctor
• Anne Loiret as the Latin teacher
• Lilas-Rose Gilberti as Camille
• Tanguy Mercier as Julien
• Selma Tamiatto as Clothilde
• Lou-Ann Trabaud as Agnès
• Héloïse Bresc as Audrey
• Eloi Léger as Nico
• Ferdinand Redouloux as Corentin
• Manon Le Bail as Eva
• Donovan Fouassier as Olivier
• Raphael Romand as Ronnie
• Victor Fruhinsholz as Samuel
• Noam Morgensztern as Jean-Didier Wolfromm
• Félicien Juttner as the lover of Vanessa's mother
• Marie-Christine Letort as Isabelle
• Christophe Kourotchkine as Éric
• Alain Fromager as Alain
• Sébastien Pouderoux as Vanessa's father
• Miglen Mirtchev as Emil Cioran
• Françoise Gazio as Simone Boué
• Anne Benoît as the French teacher

Filming

Principal photography began on 16 May 2022 and wrapped on 30 June 2022.

Release

The film was released theatrically in France by Pan Distribution and in Belgium by Anga Distribution on 11 October 2023.^[1]

Reception

Critical response

AlloCiné, a French cinema site, gave the film an average rating of 3.0/5, based on a survey of 33 French reviews.^[5]

Box office

The film debuted at number 10 at the French box office, selling 59,266 admissions from 195 theaters.^{[6] [7]} After TikTok users shared their experiences after watching the film on the platform, with some videos reaching nearly 2 million views, the film's box office had a boost in its second week,^[8] selling 141,848 admissions from 216 theaters^[7] and passing the 300,000 admissions mark on 2 November 2023.^[9] The film was released to 460 theaters in its fifth weekend and ranked at number nine at the French box office.^[7] As of January 2024, the film has sold over 600,000 admissions in France and has grossed $4,6 million worldwide.^{[10] [2]}

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Recipient(s)	Result
2023	Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival	Best Actress	Kim Higelin		^[11]
2024	Q d'or	Female Revelation			^[12]
	Paris Film Critics Association Awards	Best Female Revelation			^[13]
		Best Adapted Screenplay	Vanessa Filho
	César Awards	Best Adaptation			^[14]
		Best Female Revelation	Kim Higelin

Further reading

• Book: Le consentement . The Consent . 2020 . Vanessa Springora . Grasset . fr . 978-2246822691 .
• Book: La Prunelle de mes yeux: 1986-1987 . Apple of my Eye: 1986-1987 . 1993 . Gabriel Matzneff . Gallimard . fr . 207073174X .
• Book: Analyse de l'œuvre: Le consentement de Vanessa Springora: Résumé complet et analyse détaillée de l'oeuvre . Analysis of the Oeuvre: The Consent of Vanessa Springora: Complete Summary and Detailed Analysis . Julie Delcourt . 2022 . Le Petit Littéraire . fr . 978-2808023603 .

Notes and References

1. Web site: Consent . 30 January 2024 . Unifrance.
2. Web site: Consent (2023) . 30 January 2024 . Box Office Mojo.
3. Web site: 4 November 2023 . AFM: 'Consent,' France's Buzzy Adaptation of Vanessa Springora's #MeToo Bestseller, Lures Major Distributors Around the World (EXCLUSIVE) . Variety.
4. Web site: Sanchez . Adam . 17 August 2023 . Le Consentement : Jean-Paul Rouve incarne Gabriel Matzneff dans l'adaptation du livre de Vanessa Springora . . fr.
5. Web site: Critiques presse pour le film Le Consentement . . 30 January 2024 . fr.
6. Web site: Mrad . Slim . 18 October 2023 . Box-office hebdo : La Pat' Patrouille 2 a du flair . Boxoffice Pro . fr.
7. Web site: Le Consentement . 30 January 2024 . JP Box-Office . fr.
8. Web site: Leffler . Rebecca . 17 November 2023 . How TikTok helped reverse the box office fortunes for 'Consent' in France . Screen Daily.
9. Web site: 3 November 2023 . Bouche-à-oreille: Les entrées du film «le Consentement» dopées par TikTok . Word of mouth: Admissions for the film “Consent” boosted by TikTok . . fr.
10. Web site: Box Office du film "Le Consentement" . 30 January 2024 . . fr.
11. Web site: 18 November 2023 . Emma Dante's 'Misericordia' Takes Top Prize at the Black Nights Film Festival . Variety.
12. Web site: 29 January 2024 . Kim Higelin, Q d'or de la révélation féminine au cinéma . . fr.
13. Web site: 9 January 2024 . Paris Film Critics Awards 2024: List of Nominees . Sortiraparis . 12 January 2024 . 12 January 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240112222231/https://www.sortiraparis.com/en/what-to-do-in-paris/cinema-series/articles/307168-paris-film-critics-awards-2024-list-of-nominations . live .
14. Web site: 24 January 2024 . Cesar Awards Nominations: Thomas Cailley's 'The Animal Kingdom,' Justine Triet's Oscar-Nominated 'Anatomy of a Fall' Lead the Way . Variety.