Gérard Depardieu convicted of sexual assault, handed suspended sentence
A Paris court has found French acting legend Gérard Depardieu guilty of sexually assaulting two women on a 2021 film set, delivering an 18-month suspended prison sentence to the 76-year-old star.
The verdict came after compelling testimony from a set decorator and assistant director, both assaulted during production.
The judge noted Depardieu’s inconsistent accounts contrasted with the women’s credible, corroborated statements detailing unwanted groping and explicit language.
“Today marks a victory – not just for us, but for every woman who’s endured this behavior on set,” said the decorator, identified as Amélie, visibly emotional outside court.
Prosecutors emphasized the symbolic timing as the ruling landed hours before Cannes Film Festival’s opening – an industry long criticized for tolerating abuse.
Though absent (filming in the Azores), Depardieu faces concrete consequences: sex offender registration and €2,000 in victim compensation, including for trial-related trauma. His lawyer announced an appeal, maintaining the women fabricated claims.
The case joins mounting allegations against Depardieu, with 13 other accusers emerging in recent years. “This breaks the myth that talent excuses predation,” remarked the plaintiffs’ attorney, signaling a potential turning point for #MeToo accountability in French cinema.
