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New York Times
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Some See Depardieu Verdict as Turning Point for #MeToo in France
The French film star Gérard Depardieu was convicted of sexual assault in Paris on Tuesday. But for many, he wasn't alone on the stand: French cinema and the country's long-term resistance to the #MeToo movement were also being judged. They, too, were found guilty. 'This was the trial of impunity, the trial of silence and forced forgetting, the trial of letting things slide,' said Emmanuelle Dancourt, president of #MeTooMedia, an association advocating for victims of sexual violence in the world of French culture. She added: 'It was the trial of a man who was answerable to the law like all others. But of a man who was protected for decades, and who embodies a much bigger system.' Mr. Depardieu, who is among France's most famous actors, groped two female colleagues on the set of the 2022 film 'Les Volets Verts.' He was handed an 18-month suspended sentence, ordered to pay the two women more than 39,000 euros — about $43,000 — and his name will be added to the national sex and violent offender registry. While Mr. Depardieu's lawyer, Jérémie Assous, said his client intended to appeal the ruling, feminists across France celebrated a rare and potent victory. Since the #MeToo movement arrived in France in 2017, there has been an outpouring of testimony of sexual abuse, but relatively few cases have gone to court. The fact that Mr. Depardieu was not only tried but also convicted was a significant milestone, they said. But many also sensed it might reveal a growing crack in the severe resistance the #MeToo movement had faced in the country, and offer an indication of societal change. The verdict followed one in February, when a French court convicted the director Christophe Ruggia of sexually assaulting the actress Adèle Haenel when she was a minor. He is also appealing. 'Until now, we had the impression that the police and the justice system were incapable of seriously taking these issues into account,' said Geneviève Sellier, a feminist film critic and author of 'The Cult of the Auteur.' 'It feels like we are turning a page.' Mr. Assous said the decision made the whole point of a trial moot. 'From the moment you are charged today in a so-called sexual assault case, you are automatically condemned' he said. Included in the damages awarded to the victims by the panel of three judges were 1,000 euros each for the suffering that Mr. Assous had caused them in the four-day trial, during which he called the accusers liars and their female lawyers 'stupid' and 'hysterical.' The defense itself was very much in keeping with the history of #MeToo in France, which Laure Murat, an expert on #MeToo in France at the University of California, Los Angeles, describes as a 'counter-history.' 'There was a backlash, which preceded the event, before anything happened,' said Ms. Murat. First, the movement of women telling their stories of victimization online was dismissed by many as a toxic importation of puritanical American mores that were unnecessary in a culture of seduction and harmony between the sexes. 'Persistent or clumsy flirting is not a crime,' the film legend Catherine Deneuve and 99 other women wrote in an open letter in the French national newspaper Le Monde just three months after the French version of #MeToo — #balancetonporc — began. They defended 'the freedom to bother' and for women to say no. Then, there was something known as the French cultural exception — the financial support and cultural adulation of artists that let them get away with anything in the name of genius. That has meant that while there have been small changes in fighting sexual violence since 2017, particularly regarding children, the judicial system has been largely intransigent. At the same time, the numbers of women speaking out about sexual violence and going to the police have surged. Between 2017 and 2023, police reports of rape and attempted rape in France rose to 42,600 from 14,800. There have been #MeToo eruptions in the French news media, the music industry, theater, politics and the sports industry. And building now is a #MeToo in the private Roman Catholic school system. 'If you look at #MeToo in France, it has never stopped,' said Sandrine Rousseau, a feminist lawmaker who publicly accused her powerful party leader of sexual harassment in 2016. 'But like a river, it doesn't go straight — it avoids obstacles, sometimes it takes an unexpected path, and then it comes back. But what strikes me is how it hasn't stopped.' Mr. Depardieu is a powerful symbol of both those forces. In recent years, more than 20 women have publicly accused the actor of sexual abuse. Six filed complaints with the police — two of which were dropped because they were past the statute of limitations. A strong defense, packed with famous actors and politicians, rushed into place each time, celebrating the actor's 'genius' and 'masterful' talent, and calling him the victim of a 'lynching.' Even President Emmanuel Macron got involved, saying on public television that Mr. Depardieu 'makes France proud.' 'Depardieu, he's a monument of French cinema, and there was a whole system to protect people, but particularly him,' said Anne-Cécile Mailfert, the president of the Women's Foundation, a nonprofit in central Paris that houses many women's rights associations and funds feminist community projects across the country. Ms. Mailfert said the highly publicized trial exposed the public to misogynistic defense tactics that victims commonly face in court and the deficiencies of the criminal system when it comes to addressing sexual violence. But much bigger changes are needed, she said. In fact, while the number of sexual violence cases has surged in France, so, too, has the percentage of cases that are thrown out by investigators — climbing to 94 percent in 2020 from 82 percent in 2012, according to a report by the Institute for Public Policy in Paris. 'We are confronted by a wall of justice that we can't get through because they absolutely do not want to put the resources needed to treat all these complaints,' Ms. Mailfert said. 'They say there are too many complaints. But if there are too many complaints, it's because there's too much rape.' Her organization launched a broad campaign demanding that the government make major reforms and commitments to combat sexual violence in education and enhance child protection, victim support and, notably, the judicial system. The annual estimated cost is 2.6 billion euros ($2.9 billion) — money the government, to date, has been unwilling to spend. 'We haven't had our #MeToo,' Ms. Dancourt said. 'We speak out, we talk about the abuse, but it hasn't been followed by a political will. There is no urgency when it comes to sexist and sexual violence.' Some systemic changes have started to take place, particularly in the wake of the mass trial in which 51 men were convicted, most for raping Gisèle Pelicot after she had been drugged by her husband at the time. This spring, the government approved a robust curriculum for mandatory sex education classes for the first time, that focus on the prevention of sexism and sexual violence. A law introducing the concept of consent into the legal definition of rape in France was passed by the lower house of Parliament in April and is awaiting debate in the Senate. And Ms. Rousseau, the lawmaker, recently ended a six-month parliamentary investigation into sexist and sexual violence in France's cultural sectors. It was the first #MeToo in-depth examination of the industry. It found that sexual violence was endemic in the country's cinema and that, while victims had spoken up for years, the people in power had refused to listen. Among the committee's 89 recommendations, many target the larger justice system. The include offering financial aid to victims of sexual violence so they can pay for lawyers. The report took aim at the 'cult of genius creator' status in France that created a 'breeding ground of abuse of power and a feeling of impunity.' 'People are realizing that the 'exception française' has meant we are 10 years late in addressing #MeToo,' said Ms. Murat, the academic, who is French. 'There is something that is very slowly changing in French society and that young people are realizing it's not tolerable anymore.'
Local France
29-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Local France
French lawyers condemn 'sexism' of Depardieu's defence in abuse trial
Jeremie Assous has deployed an unusually aggressive style of defence since the start of Depardieu's trial. The actor is in the dock charged with sexual assault on two women during the filming in 2021 of "Les Volets Verts" ("The Green Shutters") by director Jean Becker. They are a set dresser, 54, identified only as Amelie, and a 34-year-old assistant director. During the trial Assous called them "liars" and "hysterical", accused them of working for the cause of "rabid feminism" and having brought their case exclusively for the sake of media attention. He also referred to feminists demonstrating outside the courtroom as "half-brain amputated". READ ALSO: Prosecutors ask for 18-months suspended jail for French actor Depardieu In the open letter, his colleagues said Assous's strategy went beyond "even the most generous interpretation of the right to defend", saying Depardieu's lawyer had "used sexism and misogyny to his heart's delight" to discredit the plaintiffs and their legal team. "Sexism against lawyers cannot be allowed in courtrooms any longer," the letter said, deploring the "complete silence" of court officials in the face of Assous's remarks, as well as the absence of any reaction by the bar association despite complaints by the two women's legal teams. "A judiciary that silently tolerates sexism, for accounting or administrative reasons, is not up to the challenges of this day and age," the letter said. The legal system needed to "respect women because they are women, and all the more so when they are present in this space as lawyers". The letter said the lawyers would examine whether the court's silence in the face of Assous's strategies constituted an "ethical failing". Advertisement Prosecutors in the trial on Thursday recommended a suspended jail sentence of 18 months for Depardieu. The lead prosecutor, in his closing statement, also asked for him to be fined 20,000 euros ($21,500) and to pay damages to the plaintiffs. He said Depardieu should also be ordered to undergo psychological treatment, and be included in France's sex offender registry. Depardieu, who has acted in more than 200 films and television series, has been accused of improper behaviour by around 20 women but this is the first case to come to trial. The court is to hand down its verdict on May 13.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
French lawyers condemn 'sexism' of Depardieu's defence in abuse trial
A group of nearly 200 French lawyers on Friday urged the judiciary to fight the kind of courtroom sexism they said Gerard Depardieu's lawyer used to defend the star actor in his sex abuse trial. Jeremie Assous has deployed an unusually aggressive style of defence since the start of Depardieu's trial. The actor is in the dock charged with sexual assault on two women during the filming in 2021 of "Les Volets Verts" ("The Green Shutters") by director Jean Becker. They are a set dresser, 54, identified only as Amelie, and a 34-year-old assistant director. During the trial Assous called them "liars" and "hysterical", accused them of working for the cause of "rabid feminism" and having brought their case exclusively for the sake of media attention. He also referred to feminists demonstrating outside the courtroom as "half-brain amputated". In the open letter, his colleagues said Assous's strategy went beyond "even the most generous interpretation of the right to defend", saying Depardieu's lawyer had "used sexism and misogyny to his heart's delight" to discredit the plaintiffs and their legal team. "Sexism against lawyers cannot be allowed in courtrooms any longer," the letter said, deploring the "complete silence" of court officials in the face of Assous's remarks, as well as the absence of any reaction by the bar association despite complaints by the two women's legal teams. "A judiciary that silently tolerates sexism, for accounting or administrative reasons, is not up to the challenges of this day and age," the letter said. The legal system needed to "respect women because they are women, and all the more so when they are present in this space as lawyers". The letter said the lawyers would examine whether the court's silence in the face of Assous's strategies constituted an "ethical failing". Prosecutors in the trial on Thursday recommended a suspended jail sentence of 18 months for Depardieu. The lead prosecutor, in his closing statement, also asked for him to be fined 20,000 euros ($21,500) and to pay damages to the plaintiffs. He said Depardieu should also be ordered to undergo psychological treatment, and be included in France's sex offender registry. Depardieu, who has acted in more than 200 films and television series, has been accused of improper behaviour by around 20 women but this is the first case to come to trial. The court is to hand down its verdict on May 13. edy/jh/gv
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
French actor Depardieu expected in court for sexual assault trial
By Dominique Vidalon PARIS (Reuters) - French actor Gerard Depardieu was expected in court as his trial over alleged sexual assaults on a film set begins on Monday, a case placing one of the world's best known movie stars at the heart of France's broader reckoning over sexual violence. A towering figure of French cinema, Depardieu has faced a growing number of sexual assault allegations in recent years. Depardieu, 76, has consistently denied any wrongdoing, and this would be the first case for which he would be standing trial. "He has obviously denied it from the beginning," Depardieu's lawyer, Jeremie Assous, said on French radio RMC on Monday morning. Assous said the actor would be present at the trial, which is expected to last up to three days, after the postponement of an initial hearing last October due to Depardieu's ill health. "Like any person facing trial, he has the right to speak. He will finally speak," Assous said. Prosecutors allege the assaults against the two women - whose identities have not been revealed - took place during the filming in 2021 of "Les Volets Verts" (The Green Shutters). They accuse Depardieu of groping one of the women on the film set, pulling her towards him and trapping her with his legs before touching her waist, hips and breasts while saying obscene words. Three people witnessed the scene, prosecutors say. They say the second woman was groped by Depardieu on set and in the street. A lawyer for one of the women told Reuters her client had been scared to come forward against Depardieu, while the second woman's lawyer did not reply to requests for comment. CHANGING ATTITUDES OVER SEXUAL VIOLENCE Depardieu's trial could be the highest-profile #MeToo case to come before the courts in France, a country where the protest movement over sexual violence has struggled to gain the same traction as in the United States. Recently, however, there have been signs this might change. Gisele Pelicot became a global feminist icon last year after she waived her rights to anonymity during the trial of her former husband, who was convicted of drugging her and inviting dozens of men over to their home to sexually abuse her. Then, last month, a French court found film director Christophe Ruggia guilty of sexually abusing actress Adele Haenel when she was underage.
Reuters
24-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Reuters
French actor Depardieu expected in court for sexual assault trial
PARIS, March 24 (Reuters) - French actor Gerard Depardieu was expected in court as his trial over alleged sexual assaults on a film set begins on Monday, a case placing one of the world's best known movie stars at the heart of France's broader reckoning over sexual violence. A towering figure of French cinema, Depardieu has faced a growing number of sexual assault allegations in recent years. Depardieu, 76, has consistently denied any wrongdoing, and this would be the first case for which he would be standing trial. "He has obviously denied it from the beginning," Depardieu's lawyer, Jeremie Assous, said on French radio RMC on Monday morning. Assous said the actor would be present at the trial, which is expected to last up to three days, after the postponement of an initial hearing last October due to Depardieu's ill health. "Like any person facing trial, he has the right to speak. He will finally speak," Assous said. Prosecutors allege the assaults against the two women - whose identities have not been revealed - took place during the filming in 2021 of "Les Volets Verts" (The Green Shutters). They accuse Depardieu of groping one of the women on the film set, pulling her towards him and trapping her with his legs before touching her waist, hips and breasts while saying obscene words. Three people witnessed the scene, prosecutors say. They say the second woman was groped by Depardieu on set and in the street. A lawyer for one of the women told Reuters her client had been scared to come forward against Depardieu, while the second woman's lawyer did not reply to requests for comment. CHANGING ATTITUDES OVER SEXUAL VIOLENCE Depardieu's trial could be the highest-profile #MeToo case to come before the courts in France, a country where the protest movement over sexual violence has struggled to gain the same traction as in the United States. Recently, however, there have been signs this might change. Gisele Pelicot became a global feminist icon last year after she waived her rights to anonymity during the trial of her former husband, who was convicted of drugging her and inviting dozens of men over to their home to sexually abuse her. Then, last month, a French court found film director Christophe Ruggia guilty of sexually abusing actress Adele Haenel when she was underage.
