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.
