Women are being abused all over the internet. Whore, big shit, no qualifier seems to be too strong when some people want to put her down.
They too are threatened. Physical violence, rape, murder, like anything goes on the internet, especially if you don’t show your face and/or use a fake name.
The haunting and necessary documentary by Léa Clermont-Dion and Guylaine Maroist, “Hello Slut: Misogyny in the Digital Age” will be released on Vrai from Tuesday 13 June to show us the extent of this scourge. The 2022 box office hit in the documentary film segment will be presented exclusively on the Videotron platform.
With the tunes of a psychological thriller, “I salute you bitch” follows several women who have fallen victim to intimidation and needless violence, two ubiquitous disasters in virtual space.
The two directors, who also signed the screenplay, show the digital attacks that in particular fall victim to Laura Boldrini, former President of the Italian Parliament; Kiah Morris, former US Democrat Representative; Marion Séclin, French actress and Youtuber; and Donna Zuckerberg, specialist in cyber violence against women and sister of the Facebook founder.
FILE PHOTO, MARTIN ALARIE/QMI AGENCY
Janette Bertrand with directors Léa Clermont-Dion and Guylaine Maroist at the premiere of the documentary in September 2022 at the Théâtre Outremont in Montreal.
Clermont-Dion and Maroist are also interested in Glen Canning, whose daughter Rehtaeh Parsons committed suicide on April 7, 2013 after being the victim of cyberbullying following a gang rape. The attackers had shared a photo of the attack.
Speak to make a difference
What the speakers have in common is that they want to raise their voices to put an end to all this hatred. They call for “broad accountability” of those who spread this hostility, from perpetrators to governments to digital giants.
The documentary Hail Bitch: Misogyny in the Digital Age, produced by La Ruelle Films, is available on Vrai from June 13th.