French film icon Gerard Depardieu has been found guilty of sexually assaulting two women on the set of the 2021 film “Les Volets Verts” (“The Green Shutters”), receiving an 18-month suspended prison sentence and a €29,040 ($32,350) fine. A Paris court also ordered the 76-year-old to be registered in the national sex offender database.
The charges stem from incidents involving a 54-year-old set dresser and a 34-year-old assistant. Despite Depardieu denying the allegations and not attending the hearing, the court ruled his testimony as “unpersuasive” and upheld the women’s detailed accounts. His lawyer has announced plans to appeal the verdict.
This case is seen as a major test for France’s post-#MeToo approach to accountability in the film industry. The set dresser’s lawyer, Carine Durrieu Diebolt, emphasized the significance of the verdict for victims of sexual abuse in cinema, coinciding with the opening of the Cannes Film Festival.
Depardieu, who has starred in over 250 films and received an Oscar nomination for “Cyrano de Bergerac,” has been publicly accused by more than 20 women. However, only this case has gone to court, with others dropped due to lack of evidence or legal time limits.
During the March trial, both accusers described separate incidents of groping and verbal abuse. The judges criticized the defense’s “aggressive” tactics, which they said further harmed the plaintiffs, justifying the imposed fines.
Depardieu has received support from figures in French cinema, including actors Vincent Perez and Fanny Ardant. He is reportedly filming a new project with Ardant in Portugal’s Azores.
Another rape accusation by actor Charlotte Arnould remains active, with prosecutors requesting a trial. Depardieu’s conduct continues to face intense scrutiny, particularly after a 2018 documentary captured his inappropriate behavior during a trip to North Korea.
Source: Swifteradio.com
