ACTING WHILE BLACK, BLACKNESS ON FRENCH SCREENS

By Rokhaya Diallo

Where are the black people in French cinema?

A seemingly simple question, and yet ... The vast majority of respondents are unable to answer it. They are just able to quote Omar Sy, a real media phenomenon, the first black to obtain, in 2012, the prestigious César for best actor. This simple fact shows how problematic the question of the representation of society in all its diversity is today. Under-representation, stereotypical roles, discrimination during castings, on sets and during promotional campaigns ... the French film and television industry still struggles to integrate ""people perceived as non-white"" into the shared story and the collective imagination that it produces.