"I want to be white": the heartbreaking secrets of the daughter of Louis Garrel and Valeria Bruni, victim of racism

Solène Delinger 11:57 a.m., January 26, 2023

Shocking secrets.

Invited on the

set on Wednesday January 25 to present the film

, Oumy Bruni Garrel, the adopted daughter of Louis Garrel and Valeria Bruni spoke about the racism she faced throughout her childhood.

Her experience echoes that of the character she plays in

a 12-year-old girl who, because she is black, will have to redouble her efforts to be accepted by the director of the ballet school at the Opéra de Paris. 

"In my dance school, I'm the only black one"

"I recognized myself in Neneh because I had the impression that it was me. Of course we have lots of differences but at the same time we are very similar, because both of us dance, and we have problems because of our skin color”, explains Oumy in front of Anne-Elisabeth Lemoine.

The 14-year-old described the situation as "horrible".

"It's horrible to say that we have problems because of our skin color but it's true. For example, me in my dance school, I'm the only black one. Like in the film. And that's true that suddenly there are a lot of similarities between me and Neneh”, she continues. 

"It's horrible to say because it's completely crazy: it's completely crazy that we have problems because of our skin color!"

Oumy Bruni-Garrel presents the film “Neneh Superstar” in #CàVouspic.twitter.com/Ldhb04u8CH

— C to you (@cavousf5) January 25, 2023

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“I come from a family where both my parents are white”

Asked by Patrick Cohen about his own experience of racism, Oumy Bruni Garrel reveals having "felt" it when she was "little".

"Because, already, I come from a family where both my parents are white from whom I received a lot of questions, like: 'But why are you black?', 'They are not your real parents'. So yes I felt that and I said to myself: 'I want to be white' or 'Why am I black'", confides the niece of Carla Bruni.  

A moving testimony, while acts "of a racist, xenophobic or anti-religious nature" increased by 13% between 2019 and 2022, according to the ministerial statistical service for internal security (SSMSI).