Latest news with #GerardDepardieu
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How France's #MeToo Movement Is Transforming Cannes and the Country's Film Industry: ‘The Conditions Under Which Work Is Produced Matter'
This year's Cannes Film Festival kicked off with Gerard Depardieu's 18-month suspended sentence for sexual assault on two women during the filming of 'The Green Shutters.' While that case itself has nothing to do with the festival, the sentencing of Depardieu, once a frequent presence at Cannes, was a reminder of how far France has come in embracing the #MeToo movement it was initially slow to champion. And that wasn't the only sign of shifting attitudes in the country and its most prominent showcase for cinema when it comes to sexual violence. This year, Cannes has issued a new rule banning filmmakers or talent accused of sexual misconduct from walking the red carpet and presenting films at the festival. Because of the change, the festival forbid Theo Navarro-Mussy from attending the premiere of Dominik Moll's 'Case 137' because he has been accused of rape and sexual assault. Although the case against Navarro-Mussy was dropped, his accusers plan to lodge an appeal. More from Variety Cannes: Falling Palm Tree Injures Pedestrian, Closing Down Section of Croisette Producer Jason Michael Berman Hits Cannes With New A/Vantage Pictures and 'Highest 2 Lowest' Emma Stone Says 'Crazy S--' Got Fed Into Her Algorithms While Prepping for Surprising 'Eddington' Role: 'That Scared Me a Little Bit' It marks the first time in the festival's 78-year history that kind of ban has been put in place, and stands in stark contrast to previous years when Roman Polanski, Woody Allen and Johnny Depp were warmly received on the Croisette. Just four years ago, Depardieu, who had been indicted on rape charges in 2020, presented a movie, 'Robuste,' a year later as part of Critics' Week's opening night. Cannes isn't the only major French film institution to have altered its stance on actors and artists accused of sexual violence or harassment. Four years after awarding Polanski with its best director prize, the Cesar Awards issued a rule in 2025 that said that the Cesar board will suspend or expel members who are accused of acts of violence, particularly those of a sexist or sexual nature. During an interview with Variety ahead of Cannes, festival chief Thierry Frémaux said that Cannes 'must be vigilant' because it plays such a crucial role in the initial launch of these films. If it endorses an artist with a history of problematic behavior, it runs the risk of legitimizing that person. He said the festival will now '…guarantee that the films submitted have respected and continue respecting the safety, integrity and dignity of all contributors and comply with legal obligations.' In the previous two editions of the festival, some #MeToo concerns were raised, notably last year, when rumors started swirling that the investigative magazine Mediapart was preparing to drop a bombshell article detailing allegations against several actors whose films were playing at the festival. No article of the sort was every produced. However, earlier this year a French Parliamentary commission found that sexual harassment and sexual violence in the entertainment industry in France are 'endemic.' Its report has put pressure on the industry to change its practices. The National Film Board's new president, Gaetan Bruel, has promised that growing #MeToo concerns will be central to the way the organization behind the country's film subsidy program operates. 'Cinema has always had a mission to inspire, but in the past it has too often done so at the cost of behaviors that can no longer be tolerated today,' he said. 'The conditions under which work is produced matter.' Bruel said that beyond the ethical concerns raised by sexual violence on set, producers should also be concerned about the commercial damage that can be caused by casting talent who have been accused of sexual misconduct, highlighting several cases of movies that underperformed in theaters after filmmakers were embroiled in controversy. He specifically mentioned director Samuel Theis, who is under investigation for allegedly sexually assaulting a crew member in 2024 and whose film 'Je le jure' recently tanked. 'Not only is this kind of behavior simply unacceptable, but from the perspective of the future of our industry, if we don't listen to this, we risk fueling a form of disaffection among the general public,' Bruel said. Looking back at 2024, France's biggest media story was the country's #MeToo boom. After failing to gain real momentum in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal more than seven years ago, the feminist movement finally found its catalyst in 2024. It started out with the crusade of French actor Judith Godrèche, who called out abuses in the film world. But what shook the core of French society was the case of Gisele Pelicot, a 67-year-old retiree who discovered that her husband had drugged her and invited men to rape her at their home in the French Riviera for more than 10 years. The Pelicot trial, which received wall-to-wall coverage in France and across the globe, stretched over three months and sifted through 51 defendants, who were all found guilty. The trial culminated with a 20-year prison sentence for Dominique Pelicot, who admitted that he raped his wife and recruited strangers online to come to their home and abuse her while she was sedated. The remaining 50 defendants received prison sentences that varied between eight to 10 years. While Dominique Pelicot hasn't appealed the verdict, 17 of the other defendants have filed an appeal and will stand a second trial in late 2025. The extent of the media coverage for the Pelicot trial was unprecedented in France, says Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, a filmmaker who has dedicated his career to making documentaries and features about sexual violence, including 'Samber,' a limited series about a French serial rapist that explores the damages of sexual violence against women and children. De Lestrade says the persistent challenges in achieving widespread societal change in France is caused by a continued resistance and the influence of class and generational differences. But there has already been signs of a backlash to the movement. Caroline Fourest, a feminist and filmmaker, recently rocked the boat with a book called 'Le vertige MeToo' ('The #MeToo Vertigo'), which argued that all of the different alleged offenders were being painted with the same brush. There are gradations of offense, Fourest argued, even as she praised the movement for sparking a necessary debate around sexual abuse and power. 'The tricky part' with the way that #MeToo has taken shape in France 'is simply not to put everything under the #MeToo hashtag, so as not to wear it out and weaken it,' she said. 'When we end up confusing all cases or putting all situations on the same level, we end up treating them with the same emotion, we end up trivializing #MeToo, sometimes even ridiculing #MeToo, at a time when it needs to remain very relevant in order to be fully democratized.' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Juliette Binoche says Gerard Depardieu is ‘not a monster' after guilty sexual assault verdict
Juliette Binoche has said Gerard Depardieu is 'not a monster' after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting two women on a film set. Hidden star Binoche made the comment at the Cannes Film Festival on the same day Depardieu, 76, was convicted of groping a 54-year-old set dresser and a 34-year-old assistant director during the filming of Les Volets Verts (The Green Shutters) in 2021. The actor was handed an 18-month suspended sentence in a Paris court on Tuesday (13 May), a term requested by the prosecution during the trial, and fined €29,040 (£24,420). The court also called for Depardieu to be registered in the national sex offender database. One of the victims, who cannot be identified, said she was 'very moved' by the decision. Depardieu did not attend the sentencing. Depardieu is a giant in French cinema, having starred in more than 250 films. He received an Oscar nomination in 1991 for his performance as the swordsman and poet Cyrano de Bergerac in the film of the same name. He had repeatedly denied wrongdoing during the trial, but Judge Thierry Donard, in his concluding remarks, said the actor's explanation of events had been unconvincing. Despite the ruling, Binoche cautioned against labelling Depardieu 'a monster', stating at Cannes (via The Guardian): 'He's a man who lost his aura owing to facts that occurred and were looked at by a court. 'The star of a film is a king for me. [But] what is sacred is when you create, when you act, and he is no longer sacred. Now the power lies elsewhere.' Binoche also addressed the fact that Depardieu and convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein were once guests of honour at the festival, where she is this year's jury president. She said that the festival's organisers 'have a different awareness today', adding: 'They have an awareness of the actions they need to take and understand the need for people to speak out about the abuses they have suffered. 'It's an important time. The #MeToo movement came [to France] later than it did to America, but it's here now.' Depardieu has received 20 accusations of misconduct, either publicly or through formal complaints, though none of these have gone to court. Some of the cases were dropped because of a lack of evidence or because they came to light after the statute of limitations had expired. One of the two plaintiffs, the set decorator, had told the court the actor had groped her all over her body as he trapped her between his legs and made explicit sexual comments. 'He touched everything, including my breasts,' she told the court. 'I was terrified, he was laughing.' The trial has placed the global star at the centre of France's broader reckoning over sexual violence and is seen as a potential watershed for the #MeToo movement in the country. Carine Durrieu-Diebolt, representing one of the victims, hailed the decision as a victory not only for the two women, 'but also for all the women behind this trial'. Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at If you are in the US, you can call Rainn on 800-656-HOPE (4673)
CTV News
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Depardieu convicted. Cannes reacts. But did #MeToo finally win in France?
French actor Gerard Depardieu, left, and Belgian actress Cecile de France pose at the 59th International film festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 26, 2006. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) PARIS — For powerful men in France's film industry, this was a week of reckoning. Gérard Depardieu — the country's most famous male actor — was convicted of sexual assault. Two days later, the Cannes Film Festival barred another actor accused of rape from walking the red carpet. Together, the decisions sent a message that France had long resisted: that artistic brilliance may no longer shield those who abuse their power. For decades, Depardieu was revered as French cinema's 'sacred monster' — a towering talent whose gluttony, volatility and magnetism became part of his myth. With more than 250 films to his name, many believed he would remain untouchable even after more than 20 women accused him of sexual misconduct. Now, that myth has cracked. The verdict has revived a broader question France has ducked since the dawn of #MeToo: Can a country that celebrates seduction and irreverence finally hold its male icons to account? France has long lived its own #MeToo contradiction. That talent, charm, or intellect forgives misconduct. That the art excuses the artist. This is the land that gave the world Brigitte Bardot's pout and Catherine Deneuve's poise — and then watched both recoil when the movement came knocking. Deneuve has defended 'the right' to seduce, while Bardot has dismissed feminism outright: 'I like men.' But the ground is shifting — fast. Cannes' seismic shift Depardieu was handed an 18-month suspended sentence Tuesday for groping two women on a 2021 film set. He denies the charges and is appealing. 'It's the end of impunity of artists with a capital A,' Carine Durrieu Diebolt, a lawyer for one of the two women who won their case against Depardieu, told The Associated Press. The verdict represented 'a bookend for putting actors on a pedestal because they were talented,' she added. Two days later, the prestigious Cannes Film Festival barred actor Théo Navarro-Mussy — accused of rape by three former partners — from attending the premiere of a film he stars in, even though the file was dropped for lack of evidence. The women are launching a civil complaint. Navarro-Mussy denies wrongdoing. His lawyer said that she's unaware of any ongoing proceedings against him. What stunned wasn't just the decision, but who made it. Cannes director Thierry Frémaux had long been seen as emblematic of the old guard. He defended Roman Polanski for years and continued to screen his films despite the director's 1977 guilty plea in the U.S. for sex with a 13-year-old. In 2018, when asked why Cannes still included Polanski, Frémaux said: 'These are complicated matters.' Frémaux opened 2023's festival with a film starring Johnny Depp, despite the actor's highly public legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard over allegations of domestic abuse, in which he was never criminally charged. When asked about the backlash, Frémaux replied: 'I only have one rule: it's the freedom of thinking, and the freedom of speech and acting within a legal framework.' This week, the rules changed. 'The Cannes decision is of course linked to the Depardieu verdict,' said Céline Piques of Osez le féminisme ('Dare Feminism!'), a group that campaigns against sexual violence. '(They've) realized which way the wind is blowing. Frémaux is trying to right the wrongs.' Resistance remains Not everyone welcomed the verdict — or what followed — as a cultural turning point. Fanny Ardant, one of French cinema's grandes dames and a longtime friend of Depardieu, sat on his side in court. She is now directing him in a film in Portugal, despite the conviction. 'Fanny Ardant? She completely missed the point,' said Piques. 'She downplayed the violence, normalized it. That's rape culture, plain and simple.' Juliette Binoche, Cannes jury president and one of France's most respected actors, struck a note of restraint: 'He's not a monster. He's a man — one who has, apparently, been desacralized.' Her caution captured something deeper: a country caught between the urge to change and the instinct to protect its giants. A justice system slowly opening In 2024, more than 22,000 rapes were reported in France. Fewer than 3% led to convictions. 'The Depardieu verdict shows there's progress,' said lawyer Anne-Sophie Laguens, who works with victims of sexual assault. 'But for most women, the barriers to justice remain enormous.' When Bertrand Cantat — front man of Noir Désir and once one of France's bestselling rock singers — launched a 2018 comeback tour, he had served just four years in prison for killing his partner, actor Marie Trintignant, during a violent assault. Despite public outrage, he returned to the stage and performed. 'That would be unthinkable today,' said Piques. 'The public mood has changed. What we tolerate has changed.' The shift in shame One breakthrough came not from a film set, but an Avignon courtroom. The conviction of 51 men for drugging and raping Gisele Pelicot — a case long ignored despite her pleas — marked a turning point. For years, shame was hers. Now, it belongs to the perpetrators. 'It proved rapists aren't just strangers in alleys,' said Piques. 'They're husbands. Colleagues. Respected men.' That shift in shame is now rippling through the cultural world — once seen as a bastion of male privilege. Recently. director Christophe Ruggia was convicted of abusing actor Adèle Haenel when she was a minor, though he is appealing; and actor-director Nicolas Bedos, was sentenced for sexual assault. So did #MeToo win? Slowly but surely, yes. The system that long protected men like Depardieu is not yet dismantled, but it is shifting. As one of the actor's accusers said through tears after the ruling: 'I'm very, very much satisfied with the decision. That's a victory for me, really. And a big progress, a step forward. I feel justice was made.' Thomas Adamson, The Associated Press Resources for sexual assault survivors in Canada If you or someone you know is struggling with sexual assault or trauma, the following resources are available to support people in crisis:
Malay Mail
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Tom Cruise drops into Cannes with stunts, spin, and spy games in ‘Mission: Impossible'
CANNES, May 14 — Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning powers into the Cannes film festival for its premiere on Wednesday on a steamroller of hype. With some fans fretting that the US$400-million (RM1.72 billion) epic — the eighth in the high-octane franchise — could be the last, Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie have been teasing up the tension by dropping contradictory clues about its future. Cruise, 62, has also been sharing heart-stopping footage of the stunts he did for the movie on social media, including discussing a freefall jump from a helicopter at 10,000 feet (3,000 metres). He is seen jumping from the chopper high over a South African mountain range and putting himself into a high-speed spin with a camera strapped to his stomach. The blockbuster is set to ramp up adrenaline levels and promises to somewhat lighten the tone at Cannes. The festival's highly political opening day began with accusations that Hollywood was ignoring 'genocide' in Gaza, while the conviction of French screen legend Gerard Depardieu for sexual assault in a Paris court on day one also dampened the mood. Even Cruise's iron-clad optimism has come under stress with the industry shaken by President Donald Trump's threat to stick tariffs on movies 'produced in foreign lands'. With Mission: Impossible among Hollywood's most globalised franchises, shot on a dizzying roster of exotic locations from the Arctic to Venice and Shanghai, Cruise shut down questions about the issue at a promotional event in South Korea last week. Asked about tariffs and the franchise's globetrotting shoots, Cruise said tersely: 'We'd rather answer questions about the movie. Thank you.' In one glimmer of hope, Trump has said he will make an exception for the James Bond movies — which are mostly shot in the UK — because the late 007 Sean Connery once helped him get planning permission for his Scottish golf course. Cruise's franchise also leans heavily on London studios. Highly-charged Yet it is likely to be all smiles when the indomitable star bounds up the red carpet at Cannes at 1645 GMT on Wednesday for the premiere. Fans will find out if this really is the end of the road for secret agent Ethan Hunt when The Final Reckoning is released in Europe and the Middle East from May 21, with the US and several other countries having to wait two or three days longer. However, Indian, Australian and Korean cinemagoers will be able to see it from the weekend. Director McQuarrie, who wrote the 1993 classic The Usual Suspects, will also be giving a masterclass earlier in the day at the world's biggest film festival. Veteran US star Robert De Niro will be talking about his long, illustrious career after being awarded a lifetime achievement at Tuesday's often highly-charged opening ceremony. The outspoken Trump critic took the chance to blast the US leader as 'America's philistine president'. He slammed Trump's film tariff proposal — which few experts think can be carried through without creating havoc — as he picked up an honorary Palme d'Or from his friend and sometime co-star Leonardo DiCaprio. 'You can't put a price on creativity. But apparently, you can put a tariff on it,' De Niro said in a fiery speech in which he urged 'everyone who cares about liberty to organise, to protest. 'Of course, all these attacks are unacceptable. This is not just an American problem, it is a global one.' 'In my country we are fighting like hell for democracy,' he said, adding that 'art embraces diversity. That's why art is a threat. That's why we are a threat to autocrats and fascists.' Jury head Juliette Binoche made an emotional tribute to the slain Gaza photographer Fatima Hassouna. The 25-year-old was killed in an Israeli air strike last month along with her family, a day after a documentary about her was selected to premiere at Cannes. Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk, by exiled Iranian director Sepideh Farsi, will be shown on Thursday. 'She should have been here tonight with us,' the French actor said. — AFP
New Straits Times
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: What to look out for at the Cannes film festival
The glitz and glamour of the Cannes film festival returns to the French Riviera this week. Here is AFP's selection of the issues, stars and films likely to dominate on and off the red carpet during the May 13 to 24 extravaganza: More MeToo He's never been a mainstay of the festival and hasn't made a film in three years, but French cinema legend Gerard Depardieu is likely to be one of the biggest talking points on Day 1 of the festival — for all the wrong reasons. A judge is Paris is set to hand down a verdict in the first of two criminal trials involving the 'Cyrano de Bergerac' star over sexual assault allegations. The problem of sexual violence in the film industry was the subject of a highly critical parliamentary inquiry into the industry that published its findings last month. Trump As for almost every public event nowadays, from elections to art exhibitions, it's hard to miss the outsized shadow of Donald Trump as he cranks up his "Make America Great Again" revolution. The cinema industry is still reeling from Trump's weekend announcement of 100-per cent tariffs on foreign-made films, casting uncertainty over the future of overseas productions. Will the big American stars at the festival dare to speak out? And will European filmmakers demand the same protections from US-made films, which still dominate the box office in many countries? Hollywood stardust Tom Cruise, who will attend the premiere of the last instalment of 'Mission: Impossible', and Robert De Niro, who will receive an honorary Palme d'Or, will be two of the biggest Hollywood stars in town. Cruise has made a point of avoiding politics throughout his career, and De Niro struggles to find words harsh enough to describe Trump who he has branded "evil", a "pig" and a "dog" in the past. Other American actors in attendance are Joaquin Phoenix, Denzel Washington, Emma Stone and Jennifer Lawrence, while Jeremy Strong and Halle Berry are on the jury. Stars-turned-directors As well as appearing in Wes Anderson's latest film 'The Phoenician Scheme', Scarlett Johansson is set to present her directorial debut 'Eleanor the Great' in the secondary Un Certain Regard competition. She will be up against fellow American actress-turned-director Kristen Stewart, who will also showcase her first film behind the camera, 'The Chronology of Water', in the same category. Harris Dickinson, 28, who recently appeared as Nicole Kidman's lover in 'Babygirl', completes a trio of stars-turned-directors at Cannes with his film 'Urchin'. Gaza A day after Cannes announced that a documentary about Gaza photojournalist Fatima Hassouna was set to be screened at the parallel ACID festival, her home was bombed by the Israeli army, killing her and 10 relatives. The outrage over her death has increased interest in the film, 'Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk' by Iranian director Sepideh Farsi, which reveals Hassouna as a luminous but increasingly fraught figure. Palestinian twins Tarzan and Arab Nasser will showcase their latest film 'Once Upon a Time In Gaza', a tale of murder and friendship set in the war-torn territory, in the Un Certain Regard section. Main competition More than 20 films are competing for the coveted Palme d'Or for best film in a selection that includes some Cannes stalwarts, as well as a new generation of directors. Perennial favourites Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, who have two Palme d'Ors already, return with their latest film 'Young Mothers' about five young women in a maternity home in their native Belgium. Motherhood looks set to be a recurring theme in Cannes, and the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s is the backdrop for two in-competition films, 'Alpha' by Julia Ducournau and 'Romeria' by Carla Simon. British actor Josh O'Connor will head up the red carpet in two contenders, 'The History of Sound' by South Africa's Oliver Hermanus and 'The Mastermind' by Kelly Reichardt. Two Iranian films, 'A Simple Accident' by Jafar Panahi and 'Mother and Child' by Saeed Roustaee, will also be closely scrutinised — in Cannes and by Iran's censors. Both filmmakers have faced legal problems and prison terms over their past work.
