The case of Gerard Depardieu. What is the French movie star accused of?

The trial of actor Gerard Depardieu is taking place in Paris. He is accused of sexually assaulting two women whom he allegedly harassed on the set of a film in 2021. Prior to this, the artist was accused of rape and other sexual acts, but the case did not go to court. French President Emmanuel Macron and other actors stood up for Depardieu. How the process goes in relation to the icon of French cinema — in the material of Izvestia.

What is Depardieu accused of?

• On March 24, a trial involving 76-year-old Depardieu began in Paris. He is accused of sexually assaulting two women during the filming of the movie "Green Shutters" in 2021. Complaints against him were filed by a 53-year-old decorative artist and a 33-year-old assistant director, whose real names were not disclosed. This is the first time that accusations against the actor have reached court proceedings.

• A decorative artist complained about Depardieu's actions in February 2024. She stated that during filming in a Paris mansion, the actor pinned her with his feet, touched her buttocks, genitals and breasts, making obscene gestures and using obscene language. According to her, this scene was witnessed by three witnesses. A psychological examination showed that after that the victim was unable to work for seven days.

• The assistant director filed a complaint in March 2024. She said that Depardieu touched her buttocks and breasts three times within a few days of each other during filming. When she reported the incident to the crew's management, the actor initially apologized, but later prevented her from working properly. Actress Anouk Greenberg, who starred in the film, confirmed the testimony of the two women and called Depardieu's behavior rude and obscene.

• In April, Depardieu was briefly detained and interrogated at a Paris police station. The trial was originally scheduled for October 2024, but the actor did not appear on the summons. The trial was postponed to March due to Depardieu's health condition. Prior to that, he underwent heart bypass surgery and an exacerbation of diabetes. By the March hearings, his health had improved, and doctors allowed him to spend six hours at a hearing with breaks.

• In court, Depardieu stated that he had indeed touched the decorator's hips, but had done so in order not to slip or fall. He also admitted that he had made rude remarks, but they were not about the woman herself, but about her work. The actor explained his behavior by saying that he felt upset and tired. Depardieu's lawyer, Jeremy Assou, said that the witnesses themselves did not admit that they had observed violent acts on the part of the actor.

• The actor faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to €75 thousand. Due to his age and state of health, Depardieu's actual punishment may be replaced by house arrest and probation.

Who else accused Depardieu

• In 2018, actress and dancer Charlotte Arnault, who was 22 years old at the time, was the first to accuse Depardieu. She stated that the actor, who was friends with her father, raped her twice in his house, where she came for rehearsals. After a nine-month investigation, the charges were dropped, but after a repeated complaint, Depardieu was charged with rape and sexual assault. In August 2024, the Paris Prosecutor's office demanded that the case be brought to court, a decision on this has not yet been made.

• Actress Helene Darras testified in the Arno case. In September 2023, she filed a complaint against Depardieu, accusing him of sexual assault that occurred on the set of the movie "Disco" in 2007. However, the prosecutor's office did not consider the appeal due to the expiration of the statute of limitations.

• After the Arnault investigation was terminated for the first time, actress Emmanuelle Debever made accusations against Depardieu. She stated that in 1982, during the filming of the film "Danton," Depardieu retreated with her and put his hand under her skirt, but she did not contact the police. On December 6, she died after a suicide attempt. This happened the day before the Complément d'enquête program released an investigative film about Depardieu, which featured videos of him making offensive and obscene comments about women.

• In 2023, the Mediapart portal published stories by 13 women working in the film industry, in which accusations were made against Depardieu. It was alleged that he sexually assaulted them from 2004 to 2022. The women did not file formal complaints for fear of career consequences.

What was the impact of the accusations

• The numerous accusations against Depardieu, most of which were not considered by the police and did not reach court, caused a violent reaction in France. In December 2023, shortly after the release of Complément d'enquête, Rome's Minister of Culture Abdul Malak announced that the actor could be stripped of the Legion of Honor, which he received in 1996. She called Depardieu's words and behavior a disgrace to France, but noted that films with his participation would not be excluded from the French heritage.

• French President Emmanuel Macron soon came to Depardieu's defense. He stated that it was too early to talk about the deprivation of the order, since this requires proven criminal charges in court. Macron admitted that he is a fan of Depardieu's work and does not want to participate in his harassment without good reason. Later, after receiving a portion of criticism, the president clarified that he sympathized with the victims of violence, but also asked them to respect the presumption of innocence against Depardieu.

Depardieu was also supported by the professional community. About 50 show business figures signed a letter to the newspaper Le Figaro against his harassment and cancellation of performances with his participation. The signatories included actors Pierre Richard, Carla Bruni, Charlotte Rampling, Carole Buquet, Natalie Bai. Later, some of the signatories refused to speak in support of Depardieu. The publication of this letter prompted the assistant director of the film "Green Shutters" to file a complaint against the actor and bring the case to the only trial so far.

• Even before the trial began, some public sanctions were imposed on Depardieu. He was stripped of the National Order of Quebec, and his statue, which had stood there since 1981, was removed from the Grevin Wax Museum. The Swiss TV channel RTS refused to broadcast films in which Depardieu played the main roles. Depardieu has not starred in any films or TV series since 2022.