French actor Gérard Depardieu, 76, has been found guilty of sexual assault against two women during the 2021 filming of Les Volets Verts in Paris.
The court sentenced him to 18 months in prison with a suspended sentence, added him to France’s national sex offender registry, and ordered him to pay compensation to the victims.
The verdict, delivered by a Paris court, marks a turning point for France’s film industry, and the broader MeToo movement in Europe. Depardieu, who was not present in court at the time of sentencing, was accused of groping two women on set, a set designer identified as Amélie, and an assistant director known by the pseudonym Sarah.
The assaults reportedly took place in September 2021, during the production of a film centered on an aging actor. According to court testimony, Depardieu used sexually explicit language and touched the women inappropriately without consent.
Amélie, now 54, spoke emotionally after the ruling, telling reporters she was "deeply moved" and that the outcome represented "a victory and a major step forward." Her account, the court found, was consistent and credible, unlike Depardieu’s defense, which the judge noted had shifted over time.
Depardieu’s legal team, led by attorney Jérémie Assous, has announced plans to appeal the decision. The actor, who has denied all allegations, remained in the Azores working on a film with his long-time friend and fellow actor Fanny Ardant, during the trial's conclusion.
In addition to the suspended sentence, the court ordered Depardieu to pay €1,000 in compensation to each of the victims for what the judge described as “secondary suffering”, caused by the conduct of the defense during trial proceedings. This concept reflects the additional trauma experienced during public cross-examination.
The judge underscored that there was no reason to doubt the victims' accounts, adding that the behavior described, including groping and vulgar comments, amounted to criminal assault.
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