A filmmaker from the Dutch art collective KIRAC must show the film with Michel Houellebecq as he wants to release it to the French author in advance. The Amsterdam Court of Appeal has that determined on Tuesday. Earlier, Houellebecq appealed against the court’s decision about his role in a pornographic film. Despite an agreement, the French writer no longer agreed to release the images.
The filmmaker made the film with images shot last year of Houellebecq. Due to the release of the trailer and an interview with the maker of the film, Houellebecq fears that the film will damage his reputation. He is concerned that the agreements made about “a game of fact and fiction” will not be respected.
According to the judge, the agreement that Houellebecq concluded with the filmmaker Houellebecq gives the maker “a free hand”. Only, according to the court, there is a “serious chance” that he will not properly comply with the agreements. Once the film is on the internet, the possible damage can no longer be reversed. That is why the filmmaker must show Houellebecq the film, which will be released in a few weeks, as he wants to release it in advance. If the French author has objections and the filmmaker does not want to adapt the film, he can go to court again. It is unclear whether the film will still be released.
The author has already gone to a French court. According to him, the contract he concluded with KIRAC is not legally valid, because he was depressed and intoxicated when he signed it. In the end, the French court ruled that the film did not violate his privacy. Houellebecq had to pay a small compensation to the filmmaker.
Read also: Michel Houellebecq: “It was very stupid to sign that contract”