Kering Foundation and the Maison des femmes: a story of commitment comes to the silver screen
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March 04, 2026
Kering Foundation and the Maison des femmes: a story of commitment comes to the silver screen
To mark the release of the film, A Place For Her (La Maison des femmes) made with the support of Kering Foundation, Doctor Ghada Hatem-Gantzer looks back on ten years of work to provide treatment for women survivors. Founder of the Maison des femmes de Saint-Denis, which has now become a recognized model of multidisciplinary care, Hatem-Gantzer talks about how this groundbreaking project began, how it has grown, and how the film further expands the project’s reach.
How did the idea for the Maison des femmes first come about?
The project of the Maison des femmes wasn’t a lightbulb moment for me. Instead, it was a response to a conviction that I formed through years of consultations with women: violence against women is everywhere, in every part of our society and it has a major impact on women’s health, and particularly on their mental health.
This observation was reinforced when I started practicing in Saint-Denis (in the northern suburbs of Paris), where cases of violence against women were often complicated by poverty, administrative instability, and controlling relationship dynamics.
I realized there was a need for a place where women could visit freely and confidentially, where they could share what they were going through, ask for help, and think about what they really need, together. As I continued to research and think about this idea, the vision became clearer and clearer.
And what vision did you have for the type of care that the Maison des femmes would provide?
The idea was to break away from a fragmented approach to care. Abuse disrupts everything: the body, the mind, our sense of time, and our ability to manage our health. It plunges women into a continuous state of panic which makes accessing treatment consistently very difficult.
That's why I wanted to develop a comprehensive treatment program that could address all of these issues.
Concretely, we almost always start with mental health, because trauma lies at the core of everything. Then we focus on somatic health, which is often neglected, and on intimacy issues, through work with nurses, physical therapists, and sexologists. The program also includes social assistance, because many women are unaware of their rights.
Over time, the support we offer has expanded to include discussion groups to overcome isolation, as well as workshops—such as yoga, art therapy, and gardening—to help participants reconnect with themselves. And then, when possible, we also provide a point of contact with the police and the judicial system, to support women who wish to take legal action.
“Abuse disrupts everything. The Maison des femmes responds with a comprehensive care program. ”
What was the biggest obstacle that you faced when creating the Maison des femmes?
There were two big challenges. The first was a very concrete problem: there wasn’t any space at the hospital for this type of center. So, in order to create it, we needed to build a new building. Which posed a major challenge in terms of funding. Our project didn't fit neatly into any box: we had to convince people it was needed, find funding, and figure out how to move forward without a clear roadmap.
The second challenge, which we’re still working on, is long-term viability. Ensuring that our work will continue in the long-term means first and foremost securing funding so that the center can continue to operate, but also training a new generation who we will be able to pass the torch to and who will keep the doors open in the future.
What role did the Kering Foundation play in this endeavor?
In order to make our vision for the project a reality, we needed funding. That’s when I met Céline Bonnaire. She came and visited, and learned about the project. And she believed in it. Then François-Henri Pinault and the Foundation's board of directors got involved. The first financial support that we received from Kering in 2014 was game-changing because it allowed the Maison des femmes to become something concrete.
That’s how the project gained credibility and traction: when someone like François-Henri Pinault publicly states that a project is worthwhile, doors start to open more easily. And that’s how the Maison des femmes de Saint-Denis was able to open in July 2016.
The Kering Foundation initial support for the project has since become an ongoing commitment. It allowed us to expand the Maison des femmes, to recruit new staff members, and later to develop structural projects: a program dedicated to victims of incest in 2019, well before the subject gained public attention, followed by Mon Palier in 2021, a shelter and support system for young women survivors of violence, designed to help them rebuild their lives and regain their independence.
Another decisive moment came during the 2021 Generation Equality Forum, when François-Henri Pinault announced a €5 million pledge from the Kering Foundation to replicate the Maison des femmes model. That was the day that I realized that our initial vision could grow into a movement.
Ten years after the opening of the Maison des femmes de Saint-Denis, how do you see the progress that you’ve made?
I think about how this journey has gone so far beyond anything I had imagined. The Maison des femmes de Saint-Denis has been recognized by the French public authorities as a necessary and replicable model. It has contributed to changes in public policy and in the French National Authority for Health’s recommendations, and has led to the creation of a public interest mission, which now provides long-term funding for organizations working to combat abuse.
Today, there are 34 Maisons des femmes in France and abroad. It’s become part of people’s vocabulary.
And then came the film, which I hadn't expected at all, and the public's response to it during the pre-release tour made a deep impression on me.
“What was once a vision has now grown into a movement. ”
What was your initial reaction to the idea of making the film?
At first, I felt very uncomfortable and apprehensive about it, not only because of the idea of being exposed, but above all because I was fearful that the film would misrepresent the reality of what women experience and the real meaning of our work.
The director, Mélisa Godet was very patient and very sensitive. She came, she observed, she took the time to really understand what we do. We worked together at length on the script, always focusing on accuracy, realism, and what could be depicted without crossing the line into voyeurism.
When I saw the film, I was deeply relieved and impressed by its hyperlink cinema structure, and how it was at once modest, respectful, and deeply human. Mélisa has managed to mix seriousness, humor, and emotional depth with remarkable subtlety.
“The film is accurate, modest, deeply human, and makes a powerful statement about solidarity. It shows how trust makes this type of work bearable. ”
What does the film reveal about your teams' work and their commitment?
It shows a day-to-day life filled with constraints, fatigue, and ethical questions, but also a constant blurring of lines between professional and private life that’s so characteristic of the healthcare professions.
That’s probably why our teams identify with it so strongly. And not just the teams at the Maison des femmes: care workers who have never worked at our centers have told me, “You're talking about us.” The film depicts the universality of our work in a way that transcends the issue of abuse alone.
It’s also a reminder of something fundamental: caring for others is not just about performing procedures. Caring is also listening, providing support, and simply being there. That kind of commitment can truly change lives and it gives carers a deep sense of purpose.
And lastly, the film makes a powerful statement about solidarity. It shows how trust makes this type of work bearable, and how the ability to laugh, sometimes at very difficult situations, helps us to keep going, together.
What would you like the audience to understand about, or take away from, the film?
I hope this film will raise awareness of the tremendous work done by care workers, at the Maisons des femmes and far beyond. Our healthcare system relies on an army of people who are often invisible, rarely recognized, and yet are absolutely essential.
I would also like people to understand that violence against women is not a matter of isolated “special cases,” but something that permeates our society as a whole. Ultimately, if this film inspires people to listen, reach out, or take action within their own community, it will have served an essential purpose.
And for women who are experiencing abuse?
This film shows that what they are experiencing is not normal, not acceptable, not legal, and above all, that it is not inevitable.
It shows that it is possible to get out of this type of situation, and that there are people and organizations who can help. In this respect, I hope that the film will show women new possibilities and perhaps even trigger a first step for some.
To wrap up, what message would you like to leave us with today?
Now that we know what survivors of abuse are really experiencing, we must not look away, we must reach out to them.
