French cinema icon Gérard Depardieu has been found guilty of sexually assaulting two women during the filming of ‘Les Volets Verts’ (‘The Green Shutters’) in Paris in 2021.
The verdict, delivered by a Paris court on Tuesday, marks a significant moment in France’s reckoning with sexual misconduct in the entertainment industry.
Depardieu, 76, was convicted of groping a set decorator and an assistant director, both of whom were working behind the scenes on the film.
The women testified that Depardieu used vulgar and explicit language before grabbing them and running his hands over their bodies.
One of the victims, identified in court as Amelie, described being trapped between Depardieu’s legs in a corridor and being touched inappropriately.
“He terrified me – he looked like a madman,” she told the court.
The second accuser, a 34-year-old assistant director, reported being groped by Depardieu on three separate occasions during the production.
Both women said they were intimidated by the actor’s fame and power, which made them fearful to speak out at the time.
The court sentenced Depardieu to an 18-month suspended prison term and ordered him to pay a €20,000 fine.
He was also placed on the French sex offenders registry. Depardieu was not present in court for the verdict, as he is currently filming in Portugal. His lawyer has announced plans to appeal the conviction.
This case is widely seen as a pivotal test of how French society and the film industry address allegations of sexual misconduct involving high-profile figures, especially in the wake of the #MeToo movement.
The ruling was welcomed by the victims and their legal representatives as a crucial step toward accountability in the industry.
Depardieu, who has appeared in over 200 films and is considered one of France’s most celebrated actors, has denied all allegations, insisting his actions were not sexual in nature. He admitted in court to using vulgar language and acknowledged some inappropriate physical contact but rejected the characterisation of his behaviour as assault.
While more than 20 women have accused Depardieu of sexual misconduct in recent years, this is the first case to result in a criminal conviction. Other allegations were dropped due to a lack of evidence or the expiration of the statute of limitations.
Meanwhile, Depardieu’s legal team has planned to appeal.
