The French actor Gérard Depardieu has appeared in court in France on trial for allegedly sexually assaulting two women during a film shoot in 2021.
Mr Depardieu (76), dressed in a black suit and trainers with his grey hair swept back, arrived at the Paris criminal court amid a large police presence. Dozens of protesters had gathered outside the courthouse and shouted: “Victims, we believe you; rapists, we see you.”
After confirming his date and place of birth, the actor told the panel of three judges that he was prepared to answer the court’s questions. He is expected to testify on Tuesday.
Mr Depardieu – one of France’s most famous actors, who has made more than 200 films and TV series – is the highest-profile figure in the French film industry to face allegations of sexual assault since the #MeToo movement.
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Mr Depardieu is charged with the sexual assault of a 54-year-old set dresser and a 34-year-old assistant director during shooting of the feature film Les Volets Verts (The Green Shutters) in Paris in 2021. He faces up to five years in prison and a fine of €75,000 if convicted.
He is accused of sexually assaulting the set dresser on September 10th, 2021, on the film set, allegedly trapping her between his legs before grabbing her buttocks, pubis and chest. She has said the actor also used obscene language and had to be pulled away by bodyguards.
The set dresser’s lawyer told the court that several people had witnessed her being grabbed and “trapped against her will”. The set dresser had immediately spoken to senior colleagues who had suggested at the time that she go to the police. Her lawyer said a production manager recounted receiving a call from Mr Depardieu at the time, saying he was sorry and it was “no longer the era to do that”. Mr Depardieu’s lawyer denied this.
Mr Depardieu is also charged with assaulting an assistant director both on set and in the street on August 31st and in September 2021, allegedly grabbing her buttocks and chest. The woman’s lawyer said she had told friends at the time that Mr Depardieu had been touching her.
Mr Depardieu’s lawyer, Jérémie Assous, said the actor denied all charges. He told the panel of three judges: “Truth is on our side.”
The judges dismissed demands by Mr Depardieu’s defence that the case should be thrown out. They rejected Mr Depardieu’s lawyer’s argument that the investigation was biased and aimed solely at “bringing Depardieu down”. The state prosecutor and the lawyers for the complainants told the court the investigation into Mr Depardieu was solid and the case must be heard.
The trial had been postponed last October after lawyers warned of Mr Depardieu’s ill health, saying he had undergone a quadruple heart bypass and had diabetes that was aggravated by the stress of the trial.
Mr Depardieu arrived in the courtroom looking strong and healthy. While waiting for the hearing to begin, he smiled, blew kisses and winked at friends and supporters. He smiled at the French actor Fanny Ardant, who appeared briefly to confirm that she would give evidence later in the trial. Ardant, who acted in The Green Shutters, will speak in favour of Mr Depardieu. Before the trial, she said she supported him because he was a friend.
Medical experts subsequently ruled that Mr Depardieu was well enough to stand trial this month, but with special provisions for his health. His court appearances would be limited to six-hour stints, with a 15-minute pause and snack every three hours. He would be seated but allowed to stand up if needed, must have private access to toilets, must be able to regularly control his blood sugar and eat a sweet snack if necessary.
The trial is the first case against Mr Depardieu to come to court. Overall, about 20 women have accused him of improper behaviour, but several cases have not been pursued because they exceeded the time limit for bringing a legal complaint.
The French actor Charlotte Arnould was the first woman to file a criminal complaint against Mr Depardieu, in 2018, alleging he raped and sexual assaulted her when she was 22 and Mr Depardieu, a friend of her father, was 70. Last August, the Paris prosecutor’s office requested a trial for rape and sexual assault, but a trial date has not yet been set. In an open letter to Le Figaro in 2023, Mr Depardieu denied the allegations, saying any encounter with Ms Arnould had been consensual.
Ms Arnould watched from the public benches on Monday. Also present among members of the public was actor Anouk Grinberg, who appeared in The Green Shutters. Ms Grinberg told Agence France-Presse before the trial that Mr Depardieu had constantly made “salacious remarks” during shooting, and producers who hired him knew they were “hiring an abuser”.
The trial continues. – Guardian
