By Ren Azrack L. Escosio
A court in Paris gave veteran French actor Gérard Depardieu a suspended jail term of 18 months on Tuesday after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting two staff during a filming production in 2021.
The victims, a 54-year-old set dresser (Amelie) and a 34-year-old assistant (Sarah), claimed that the 76-year-old actor groped them during the production of the film “Les Volets Verts” (The Green Shutters).
The court judge also ruled that Amelie and Sarah should receive 1,000 euros each from Depardieu for “secondary victimisation.”
His name will also be listed in the national sex offender database as part of the court ruling.
Depardieu was absent during Tuesday’s hearing, but his lawyer confirmed that his legal team would file an appeal.
Depardieu denies accusations
The first victim (Amelie) revealed during the court hearings in March that Depardieu grabbed her hips during an argument on set.
The veteran actor denied the accusation but admitted that he used vulgar and sexualised language during the 2021 incident. He argued that his actions towards Amelie were not sexual.
Meanwhile, the second plaintiff told the court that the French artist touched her buttocks and her breasts on three different occasions during the filming.
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Depardieu again denied the claims of the film assistant, claiming that his actions were all an accident during the filming.
“My name has been dragged through the mud by lies and insults. A trial can be a very special experience for an actor. Seeing all this anger, the police, the press. It’s like being in a science fiction film, except it’s not science fiction. It’s life,” the actor was quoted as saying by BBC after the court hearing.
Verdict a ‘major step forward’
The set designer told reporters that she was satisfied with the court verdict and stressed that the decision was a “major step forward.”
The victims’ lawyer, Carine Durrieu-Diebolt, also hailed the decision, calling it a victory for women.
“It is a victory of two women, but it is the victory of all the women beyond this trial. Today, we hope to see the end of impunity for an artist in the world of cinema,” Durrieu-Diebolt told reporters after the ruling.
“I think that with this decision, we can no longer say that he is not a sexual abuser. And today, as the Cannes Film Festival opens, I’d like the film world to spare a thought for Gerard Depardieu’s victims,” she was quoted as saying by the British Press Association.
Trouble not over
Even though Depardieu received the support of actors Vincent Perez, Fanny Ardant, and other figures of French cinema during the entire trial, his legal troubles are not yet over since he is expected to face more court hearings in the following months.
Actor Charlotte Arnould also filed a rape case against the veteran actor. The 29-year-old actress claimed that Depardieu assaulted her on August 7 and 13, 2018.
Arnould’s case against Depardieu is still ongoing, and prosecutors have already ordered a trial for the matter.
Aside from her case, more than 20 women also filed complaints against the actor for similar sexual assaults over the past few years. However, the majority of the cases were dropped due to lack of evidence.
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