Documentary Consent | Can I Sue?
by Anonymous
(Israel)
A German or French documentary was filmed in Israel and broadcast in France or Germany and I was filmed purchasing goods at a grocery store in Jerusalem with a girl.
Only today, 6 months later, did someone bring this to my attention since I had no idea that filming was going on in the store. Seeing me with the girl I was with can do me great harm in my relationship. (I have 5 kids). Can I sue them?
Desktop Documentaries | AnswerYikes, this is a touchy situation for sure! As a documentary filmmaker myself I hate to encourage you to sue one of my fellow colleagues, but it does seem that you might have a case.
Please understand I am not a lawyer so anything I say has absolutely no basis in legal training. I highly encourage you to get advice from a lawyer.
Below are some recommendations for lawyers in the US, but keep in mind there might be different laws in different countries. so it's probably best to get a lawyer in the country where the broadcaster is located (Germany or France).
Legal ResourcesVolunteer Lawyers for the Arts:
www.vlany.orgAvvo:
Avvo.comAttorney Jaia Thomas:
www.jathomaslaw.comWhat I can tell you is that before my documentary was broadcast on television, we had to purchase something called E&O insurance (Errors and Omissions) which would have protected us in case someone sued us.
I have to ask. Wouldn't suing bring even more attention to your situation?
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