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The Hindu
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Cannes 2025: Festival bans French actor from red carpet over sex assault allegations
The Cannes Film Festival has banned French actor Theo Navarro-Mussy from appearing on the red carpet for Thursday's premiere of French competition film Case 137 due to sexual assault allegations against him. Festival director Thierry Fremaux told Telerama magazine on Wednesday that he had decided, along with the film's producers, to exclude the actor because the courts had not issued a final ruling in the case. A joint complaint by three former partners accusing Navarro-Mussy of rape was dismissed by prosecutors last month for lack of sufficient evidence, according to his lawyer. The complainants, also actors, plan to file a new complaint, Telerama reported. Navarro-Mussy's lawyer, Marion Pouzet-Gagliardi, told Reuters that to date, there was no indication that any proceedings would continue, and that no new complaint had been formally recorded yet. Prosecutors did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A festival spokesperson referred Reuters to Fremaux's Telerama interview when asked to confirm the red carpet ban, which is believed to be the first of its kind. Navarro-Mussy has a small role in the detective drama directed by Dominik Moll. The festival's director told Telerama that he was also waiting to find out more about a report concerning another film personality that had recently come to his attention. Beginning this year, Cannes requires producers to guarantee that films submitted respect the safety, integrity and dignity of all contributors. The festival has faced criticism in the past for not doing more to embrace the #MeToo movement that has exposed men accused of sexual harassment in fields including entertainment, politics and business. ALSO READ:Cannes 2025: Robert De Niro receives standing ovation, Palme d'Or from Leonardo DiCaprio Fremaux's decision comes in the same week that actor Gerard Depardieu was found guilty of sexually assaulting two women on a film set in the highest-profile #MeToo case to come before judges in France. Depardieu has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, and his lawyer said he would appeal the court's decision.
Japan Today
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Today
Cannes bars actor from premiere over sexual assault allegations
The Palais des festivals ahead of the 78th international film festival in Cannes, southern France, Sunday, May 11, 2025. The Cannes film festival runs from May 13 until May 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Lewis Joly) By JAKE COYLE The Cannes Film Festival barred French actor Théo Navarro-Mussy from attending the premiere of the competition entry 'Case 137," in what's believed to be a first for the festival in the #MeToo era. Festival director Thierry Fremaux confirmed to the French magazine Télérama that Navarro-Mussy would not be allowed to attend the red carpet premiere of 'Case 137" ("Dossier 137" in France) on Thursday night at Cannes. He has a supporting role in the film. Télérama reported that Navarro-Mussy was accused of rape by three former partners in 2018, 2019 and 2020. The case was dropped last month due to lack of evidence, but Télérama reported the three woman plan to appeal. 'It is because there is an appeal, and therefore the investigation is still active, that the case is not suspended," Fremaux told the French magazine. 'When a legal decision becomes final, the situation changes.' Representatives for Navarro-Mussy didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. Representatives for the Cannes Film Festival referred inquires to Fremaux's comments to Télérama. Navarro-Mussy's attorney, Marion Pouzet-Gagliardi told Télérama: 'I have received no information indicating that any proceedings are ongoing. This proposed complaint with civil party status has, to my knowledge, not been legally filed." The decision marks a shift for the Cannes Film Festival, which has sometimes been criticized for welcoming men accused of sexual misconduct. But some say now that the festival is evolving as the #MeToo movement has made belated inroads into the French film industry. This year's Cannes opened hours after French actor Gerard Depardieu was found guilty of sexual harassment and handed a 18-month suspended prison sentence. When asked about the Depardieu verdict, Juliette Binoche, Cannes jury president, said that 'the festival is following this trend in social and political life.' 'The festival is in step with what's happening today,' Binoche said. '#MeToo took some time to gain strength. We reacted very strongly recently." On Thursday, the French production company of 'Case 137,' Haut et Court, said it last week received a warning about the situation. 'Even though the allegations largely predate the production of the film, we agreed with the festival management that the person in question will not accompany the film to Cannes, out of respect for the plaintiffs and their right to be heard, while also respecting the presumption of innocence of the accused,' the company said in a statement. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Hindustan Times
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Cannes bans actor from red carpet over sex assault allegations
CANNES, France, - The Cannes Film Festival has banned French actor Theo Navarro-Mussy from appearing on the red carpet for Thursday's premiere of French competition film "Case 137" due to sexual assault allegations against him. Festival director Thierry Fremaux told Telerama magazine on Wednesday that he had decided, along with the film's producers, to exclude the actor because the courts had not issued a final ruling in the case. A joint complaint by three former partners accusing Navarro-Mussy of rape was dismissed by prosecutors last month for lack of sufficient evidence, according to his lawyer. The complainants, also actors, plan to file a new complaint, Telerama reported. Navarro-Mussy's lawyer, Marion Pouzet-Gagliardi, told Reuters that to date, there was no indication that any proceedings would continue, and that no new complaint had been formally recorded yet. Prosecutors did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A festival spokesperson referred Reuters to Fremaux's Telerama interview when asked to confirm the red carpet ban, which is believed to be the first of its kind. Navarro-Mussy has a small role in the detective drama directed by Dominik Moll. The festival's director told Telerama that he was also waiting to find out more about a report concerning another film personality that had recently come to his attention. Beginning this year, Cannes requires producers to guarantee that films submitted respect the safety, integrity and dignity of all contributors. The festival has faced criticism in the past for not doing more to embrace the #MeToo movement that has exposed men accused of sexual harassment in fields including entertainment, politics and business. Fremaux's decision comes in the same week that actor Gerard Depardieu was found guilty of sexually assaulting two women on a film set in the highest-profile #MeToo case to come before judges in France. Depardieu has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, and his lawyer said he would appeal the court's decision.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New Cannes Festival policy bans actor accused of rape
The Cannes film festival barred an actor in a prominent French film from the red carpet on Thursday because of sexual assault allegations, unveiling a new policy under pressure from lawmakers and activists. Theo Navarro-Mussy plays a police officer in a supporting role in the film "Dossier 137" by Dominik Moll, which is to premiere on Thursday in the festival's main competition. According to French magazine Telerama, which broke the news, three former partners accused the actor of rapes in 2018, 2019, and 2020 but the case was dropped last month for lack of evidence. The three women, all actors themselves, told Telerama they planned to appeal and file a civil lawsuit. Cannes Festival director Thierry Fremaux confirmed to Telerama that Navarro-Mussy had been excluded because an appeal was underway. "The judicial process is still ongoing," Fremaux was quoted as saying in remarks confirmed to AFP by a festival spokesperson. The treatment of Navarro-Mussy, if it becomes the basis of a consistent policy, would imply that any actor or director under active investigation for sexual assault would be excluded. It would align Cannes with the Cesar Awards, France's equivalent of the Oscars, which announced in January 2023 that nominees convicted of or under investigation for sexual assault would be barred. Navarro-Mussy, 34, who had a breakthrough role in the French medical TV drama "Hippocrate", denies the allegations but he told Telerama he understood the decision by festival organisers. - Inquiry - In the past, Fremaux has sought to avoid taking a clear stance on the numerous sexual assault cases that have dogged figures in the film industry, particularly since the #MeToo movement. He faced criticism from some activists in 2023 over the choice of the film "Jeanne du Barry" to open the festival, which starred Johnny Depp. The movie marked Depp's comeback after a toxic court battle with ex-wife Amber Heard that revealed his turbulent private life involving alcohol, drugs and domestic abuse allegations. The #MeToo movement shook the French film industry from 2017, as it did Hollywood, exposing widespread sexual misconduct and challenging a long-standing culture of silence. A recent French parliamentary inquiry into the entertainment industry, sparked by allegations of sexual abuse by actor Judith Godreche, found that the mistreatment of performers was "endemic". Inquiry chair Sandrine Rousseau, an outspoken feminist lawmaker from the Green party, called on the Cannes Festival to set an example in stamping out sexual abuse, as well as physical and psychological violence. "The Cannes Film Festival must be the place where this shift in mindset happens, the place where we say loud and clear... amid the glitter and the red carpets... that finally, we all want things to change. Every one of us. At every level of the industry," she said last month. - 'Worried' - Navarro-Mussy said he was "worried" about his career, adding that he hoped the fact the case had been closed was "taken into account". "I have explained myself to the justice system and at this stage have been cleared," he added. His lawyer said that he had not been notified of any appeal against the decision to close the investigation. Moll, the director of "Dossier 137", told AFP he was unaware of the allegations before starting to work with Navarro-Mussy "and during the film nothing happened". Moll's prize-winning previous film, "The Night of the 12th", tackled the issue of violence against women. He said he was "very sensitive to this issue". Allegations of rape between partners are among the most difficult to prove, meaning prosecutors rarely take them to court unless there is clear evidence. French screen legend Gerard Depardieu was handed an 18-month suspended sentence on the opening day of the Cannes film festival this year after being convicted of sexually assaulting two women on a film set in 2021. The 76-year-old, who has acted in more than 200 films and television series, is the highest-profile figure caught up in France's response to the #MeToo movement. jt-fbe-adp/ah/gil
France 24
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- France 24
New Cannes Festival policy bans actor accused of rape
Theo Navarro-Mussy plays a police officer in a supporting role in the film "Dossier 137" by Dominik Moll, which is to premiere on Thursday in the festival's main competition. According to French magazine Telerama, which broke the news, three former partners accused the actor of rapes in 2018, 2019, and 2020 but the case was dropped last month for lack of evidence. The three women, all actors themselves, told Telerama they planned to appeal and file a civil lawsuit. Cannes Festival director Thierry Fremaux confirmed to Telerama that Navarro-Mussy had been excluded because an appeal was underway. "The judicial process is still ongoing," Fremaux was quoted as saying in remarks confirmed to AFP by a festival spokesperson. The treatment of Navarro-Mussy, if it becomes the basis of a consistent policy, would imply that any actor or director under active investigation for sexual assault would be excluded. It would align Cannes with the Cesar Awards, France's equivalent of the Oscars, which announced in January 2023 that nominees convicted of or under investigation for sexual assault would be barred. Navarro-Mussy, 34, who had a breakthrough role in the French medical TV drama "Hippocrate", denies the allegations but he told Telerama he understood the decision by festival organisers. Inquiry In the past, Fremaux has sought to avoid taking a clear stance on the numerous sexual assault cases that have dogged figures in the film industry, particularly since the #MeToo movement. He faced criticism from some activists in 2023 over the choice of the film "Jeanne du Barry" to open the festival, which starred Johnny Depp. The movie marked Depp's comeback after a toxic court battle with ex-wife Amber Heard that revealed his turbulent private life involving alcohol, drugs and domestic abuse allegations. The #MeToo movement shook the French film industry from 2017, as it did Hollywood, exposing widespread sexual misconduct and challenging a long-standing culture of silence. A recent French parliamentary inquiry into the entertainment industry, sparked by allegations of sexual abuse by actor Judith Godreche, found that the mistreatment of performers was "endemic". Inquiry chair Sandrine Rousseau, an outspoken feminist lawmaker from the Green party, called on the Cannes Festival to set an example in stamping out sexual abuse, as well as physical and psychological violence. "The Cannes Film Festival must be the place where this shift in mindset happens, the place where we say loud and clear... amid the glitter and the red carpets... that finally, we all want things to change. Every one of us. At every level of the industry," she said last month. 'Worried' Navarro-Mussy said he was "worried" about his career, adding that he hoped the fact the case had been closed was "taken into account". "I have explained myself to the justice system and at this stage have been cleared," he added. His lawyer said that he had not been notified of any appeal against the decision to close the investigation. Moll, the director of "Dossier 137", told AFP he was unaware of the allegations before starting to work with Navarro-Mussy "and during the film nothing happened". Moll's prize-winning previous film, "The Night of the 12th", tackled the issue of violence against women. He said he was "very sensitive to this issue". Allegations of rape between partners are among the most difficult to prove, meaning prosecutors rarely take them to court unless there is clear evidence. French screen legend Gerard Depardieu was handed an 18-month suspended sentence on the opening day of the Cannes film festival this year after being convicted of sexually assaulting two women on a film set in 2021. The 76-year-old, who has acted in more than 200 films and television series, is the highest-profile figure caught up in France's response to the #MeToo movement.
