Article Summary
Gérard Depardieu, the renowned French actor, was convicted by a Paris court on charges of sexual assault against two women working on a film set in 2021. He was given a suspended sentence of 18 months and ordered to appear on a list of sex offenders. The two victims will receive €15,000 and €14,040 in damages compensating for physical and psychological harm as well as medical fees.
What This Means for You
- The ruling highlights the increasing awareness of sexual misconduct in the French film industry, reinforcing the notion that no one is above the law irrespective of their social status or celebrity.
- While the court case has gained significant media attention, consider how these issues affect the wider film industry and what steps are being taken to combat sexual harassment and assault on set.
- The verdict serves as a reminder of the importance of consent and respect in professional environments. It also emphasizes the need for bystanders to step in and support those who have experienced sexual harassment or assault.
- Look out for potential future legal developments regarding Depardieu’s appeal and potential additional charges or victims coming forward.
Original Post
The French movie star Gérard Depardieu was convicted by a Paris court on Tuesday on charges of sexually assaulting two women working on the set of a film in which he was starring in 2021. He received a suspended sentence of 18 months.
The sentence was in line with what the prosecutor had requested after Mr. Depardieu’s four-day trial in March. The actor was ordered to be put on a list of sex offenders.
The judge also ruled that Mr. Depardieu must pay one of the two victims 15,000 euros, about $17,000, in damages and the other €14,040, which included her medical fees.
The set decorator, now 54, who has agreed to be identified publicly only by her first name, Amélie, testified that Mr. Depardieu grabbed her by her waist and pulled her toward him while he was sitting down. Then he locked her between his legs and ran his hands over her buttocks, genitals and breasts while muttering obscenities, she said.
The assistant director, now 34, testified that the actor had touched her breasts and buttocks on three occasions as she walked him from his dressing room to the set in Paris.
The judge called their version of events coherent and consistent, and supported by other evidence.
Mr. Depardieu, 76, denied the sexual assaults in both cases.
From the beginning, it was clear the trial was about more than two sexual assaults by one of France’s most well-known film stars. What happened in the court, instead, was part of a long overdue reckoning about the country’s obsession with seduction, the uncritical adulation of its artists and the stalling in France of the #MeToo movement.
Mr. Depardieu is considered among the greatest actors of his generation, starring in more than 230 films, including “Green Card” and “Cyrano de Bergerac.”
He shot to fame after starring in the 1974 film “Les Valseuses,” in which he played one of two small-town thugs who romp around France, stealing cars, and sexually harassing and assaulting women.
Key Terms
- Sexual assault
- #MeToo movement in France
- Film industry standards
- Consent and respect
- Gender equality in the workplace
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