A Paris court has delivered a significant verdict in the country's first major #MeToo trial, finding filmmaker Christophe Ruggia guilty of sexual assault on French actor Adèle Haenel when she was between 12 and 15 years old in the early 2000s. Ruggia has been sentenced to two years under house arrest with an electronic bracelet and a two-year suspended sentence. The court's ruling comes after Haenel accused Ruggia of inappropriate touching during and after the filming of the movie 'Les Diables' in the early 2000s.
Haenel, a prominent figure in the French film industry, was applauded by women's rights activists as she left the courtroom following the verdict. The court determined that Ruggia had abused his dominant position over Haenel, engaging in sexualized gestures and attitudes during their quasi-weekly meetings over a period of three years. Ruggia has denied the allegations and plans to appeal the verdict.
Haenel, known for her role in the acclaimed film 'Portrait of a Lady on Fire,' has been vocal about the issue of sexual abuse in the French filmmaking community. Her actions, including walking out of the César Awards ceremony in protest of Roman Polanski's recognition, have drawn attention to the industry's response to such allegations.
The verdict in Ruggia's case has prompted other actors and industry professionals to come forward with their own experiences. French actor Judith Godrèche attended the court proceedings and shared her own story of alleged abuse by film director Benoît Jacquot. Jacquot, along with another director, Jacques Doillon, has faced accusations of sexual abuse from Godrèche and others.
In a separate case, French actor Gérard Depardieu is set to stand trial on charges of sexually assaulting two women on a film set. Depardieu, who denies any wrongdoing, is accused of using violence and coercion in the alleged assaults that took place in 2021.
