Last year, Judith Chemla was expected at the Cannes Film Festival to present My brothers and me, a film directed by her husband Yohan Manca, in which she plays Sarah, an opera singer. The actress, however, could not go to the Croisette. The reason for his absence? A violent marital dispute during which her husband would have thrown a phone in her face, explained Variety. Judith Chemla had filed a complaint against the director at the time.
A year after the facts, the actress returns to the violence of which she was the victim in a long, poignant message posted on social networks. She accompanies shocking photos of her swollen face. “A year ago my face was injured, blue, purple under my eye, I saw myself deformed. A year ago I looked at my face in the mirror and I knew that I could no longer hide my face. My daughter’s father. Those who are able to do this must be out of harm’s way“, she writes before adding that Yohann Manca continues to make life difficult for her.” I’m not ashamed of this photo. But he should be ashamed, he should be ashamed today, a year later, instead of continuing to pressure me, to think that he still has the means to manipulate me, instead of rotting my child’s head he should be ashamed and quiet, really want to be forgiven. This is not the case. I have so much evidence that he keeps trying to harm me. Go back to the police station a third time? Filing a 3rd complaint in 1 year? Being in the film industry, and having the sword of Damocles with an 8-month suspended prison sentence… isn’t that enough? I am exhausted. What does it take to make him leave me alone? Really go to jail? He will still play the victim with my daughter and she will suffer from not seeing her father. That I keep this to myself? He will still feel above the law will continue to complain and challenge court decisions with his 5 year old daughter whom he sees as a normal father who he is not. He will continue to believe that he is able to pressure me and bully me morally. I can not stand it anymore. I demand to have peace. Is it clearer like this ?“
A chilling message to which several personalities reacted. Among them, Camille Kouchner, Géraldine Nakach (“I love you my doll. My brave“), Manu Payet (“With you Judith.“) or even Nicolas Maury (“With you with all my heart Judith. You are not alone.“)