Gérard Depardieu, a veteran French actor, has requested a postponement of his sexual assault trial, set to begin in Paris on Monday. Depardieu, 75, stands accused of sexually assaulting two women during the filming of the 2021 movie “Les Volets Verts” (“The Green Shutters”). The high-profile case has become a major test for France’s ongoing reckoning with sexual violence in the entertainment industry.
Jérémie Assous, Depardieu’s lawyer, claims that the allegations have “deeply affected” the actor, and his health prevents him from appearing in court for the trial’s opening. Assous said Depardieu “wishes to come; he wants to express himself” before the court, but his doctors have advised against it.
The trial was set to begin at around 1:30 p.m. local time on Monday, but it now appears the proceedings will be postponed to a later date. Prosecutors allege that Depardieu made explicit sexual remarks to and then aggressively “groped” two members of the film’s production team. If convicted, the acclaimed actor could face up to five years in prison.
Depardieu, who has previously denied any wrongdoing, is the highest-profile figure in French cinema to face such serious accusations in the country’s ongoing #MeToo reckoning. The case has sent shockwaves through the industry and sparked a renewed debate about power dynamics and sexual misconduct.
One of the alleged victims, a 53-year-old production designer, has spoken out about the impact the incident had on her personal and professional life. In an interview with the French news site Mediapart, she said the alleged assault left her unable to sleep well, suffering anxiety attacks, and leading to significant weight loss.
Prosecutors say witnesses on the film set corroborated the woman’s claim that Depardieu became “furious” and blamed her after she filed a complaint. A second woman, a director’s assistant, also reported that Depardieu had touched her buttocks on several occasions, leading her to express her disapproval. Prosecutors claim that Depardieu then turned “insulting” towards her.
Despite the mounting allegations, Depardieu has maintained a vocal base of support from some in the French artistic community. Last year, 56 performers, writers, and producers published an open letter defending the actor, stating that when “Gérard Depardieu is targeted this way, it is the art of cinema that is being attacked.”
For calling Depardieu the “pride of France” and implying that the actor was the target of a “manhunt,” even French President Emmanuel Macron has faced criticism. Feminist groups have called for a protest outside the courthouse ahead of Monday’s now-postponed hearings, underscoring the broader significance of this trial.
The case against Depardieu represents a major test for France’s ongoing efforts to confront sexual violence, particularly within the powerful film industry. We will closely monitor Depardieu’s fate, one of the country’s most celebrated actors, to gauge the progress of the #MeToo movement in France.
With the trial now delayed, the legal proceedings will likely continue to garner intense scrutiny in the weeks and months ahead. Depardieu’s lawyer has committed to presenting evidence and witnesses that will prove his client has been the victim of false accusations.
However, for the alleged victims, the pursuit of justice remains paramount. As one of the women stated, “I expect the justice system to be the same for everybody and for Monsieur Depardieu not to receive special treatment just because he’s an artist.” The outcome of this high-profile case will undoubtedly have far-reaching implications for France’s ongoing reckoning with sexual misconduct in the entertainment industry and beyond.