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The film “Un Ours dans le Jura” by Franck Dubosc and Sarah Kaminsky is nominated in the “Best original screenplay” category for the 51e César cinema ceremony. The fact that Gaumont and director Franck Dubosc chose to use the bear Valentin on screen, and for a few seconds, does not seem to have posed the slightest problem to the César Academy. How much longer will we honor films that do not respect the animal condition?
In 2021, Parliament legislated to protect non-domestic animals from exploitation for traveling shows and bear handlers, but many face the same constraints for film productions. However, the government has decided to turn a blind eye to this area. Double standards.
The bear Valentine was enslaved for years in medieval festivals, before the law outlawed it. But Valentin’s ordeals continue in the filming. His life of captivity, punctuated by training sessions, just for a film like “There’s no network”, for the Krisprolls advertisement or for music videos, for example a Wejdene clip, is unacceptable.
Neither clowns nor actors
Remember that bears, whether born in captivity or not, are wild animals with very specific needs. In their natural state, they live in complex environments, such as forests and mountains, and particularly enjoy swimming in rivers. They are solitary animals that also need to overwinter. However, even today, bears like Valentin or Shadow, kept in captivity, are frequently used for filming, whether for cinema, advertising, music videos or photo shoots.
We proclaim that no amount of entertainment can justify imprisoning and training wild animals! Whether free or not, a wild animal has, by definition, numerous needs: territory, complex environment, behaviors, physical expenses, social relationships… It is impossible to satisfy them in captivity. We cannot, on the one hand, defend the animal cause and on the other, fuel the deprivation of liberty of wild animals. Any person sensitive to animal rights can only be relieved at the idea that the exploitation of non-domestic animals in traveling shows is coming to an end, as it is obvious that monkeys, wild animals and even parrots are not clowns. Let’s not forget that they are not actors either!
Even when the films carry a message that appears to be in favor of animals, like those of Gilles de Maistre, director of “The Last Jaguar” or “Moon the Panda”, we cannot put aside what they implied for the animals – very real – which appear in them. Today, we are lucky to have a wide variety of techniques available to represent animals on screen. Let’s take advantage of this to tell beautiful stories, which encourage more empathy and consideration for animals, without exploiting them!
Code of Conduct
Our aim is in no way to constrain the freedom of creation, but to emphasize that we cannot be both defenders of animals and complicit in their suffering. The world of cinema must listen to societal expectations, and the animal condition is one of them. Creating unease among part of the public at the idea that wild animals have been trained, just for a few minutes on screen, damages the image of a cinematographic work. The use of animal training is damaging to the image of a film and its team, including financial partners such as large television groups like TF1, Canal+ or M6.
In 2024, France Télévisions has chosen to change its code of conduct, encouraging productions not to use real animals on set. It’s a historic decision that paves the way for ethical cinema for animals. We congratulate the group’s management and call on other television channels to follow this example.
We, animal protection organizations, ask production companies to take the condition of animals seriously by only funding works that do not use wild animal trainers. Major events like the Césars should also take this criterion into account in their choice of awards. The seventh art has everything to gain from no longer being complicit in animal suffering. The films will only be more beautiful.
Signatories
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Muriel Arnal, president of One Voice
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Christophe Coret, president and co-founder of AVES France
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Christine Grandjean, president of C’est Enssez!
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Stéphane Lamart, president and founder of the Stéphane Lamart association
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Julien Nibes, Free Life association
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Anissa Putois, Communications and campaigns manager of the PETA France association
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Amandine Sanvisens, co-founder and director of PAZ
This article is a column, written by an author outside the newspaper and whose point of view does not commit the editorial staff.
