Gérard Depardieu’s conviction was once a ancient second for #MeToo in France

When Gérard Depardieu, one in every of France’s largest cinema stars, was once positioned at the intercourse culprit sign up this week after being discovered accountable of sexually assaulting two ladies on a movie set in 2021, it was once a ancient second for the #MeToo motion within the nation.

“It was a message to all men in power that they are answerable to the courts and can be convicted,” stated Catherine Le Magueresse, who represented the European Association Against Violence Towards Women at Work (AVFT) on the trial. “The message is: watch out, the impunity is over.”

Depardieu, 76, who has made greater than 200 motion pictures and TV sequence, had for years personified one of the most key hindrances to the French #MeToo motion: France’s cult of the ingenious genius. Depardieu’s performing skill and global popularity was once observed as so nice that he was once untouchable. French cinema and politics were gradual – even reluctant – to take abuse claims significantly.

“This is the first time such a strong signal has been given that no one is above the law for violence against women – that message has been lacking until now,” stated the Green MP Sandrine Rousseau who co-authored a up to date parliamentary file that discovered sexual violence was once “endemic” within the French leisure business. More now must be achieved, she argued.

The pass judgement on convicted Depardieu of sexually assaulting the 2 ladies at the set of the movie, Les Volets Verts (The Green Shutters), noting that the actor appeared “not to have understood the notion of consent nor the injurious consequences of his actions”. Depardieu had trapped, grabbed and touched the ladies, shouting obscenities and calling one a “snitch” for talking out.

The precedence now was once to wash up sexism inside the criminal device itself, feminists stated. Depardieu’s trial confirmed that French courts will also be brutal for sexual violence survivors. This were transparent on the trial ultimate yr of 51 males over the rape of Gisèle Pelicot, who were drugged subconscious by way of her husband. Pelicot stated she was once “humiliated” by way of defence attorneys, who requested if the boys would possibly have idea she was once under the influence of alcohol or pretending to be asleep. Her legal professional, Antoine Camus, criticised how, in French courts, “there is still discussion of whether you’re a ‘good’ victim”.

In the Depardieu trial, the pass judgement on went additional. Setting a criminal precedent, he dominated that Depardieu’s defence legal professional, Jérémie Assous, were so “excessively harsh” to the 2 ladies in courtroom that they should be compensated for “secondary victimisation”. One lady, Amélie, a suite decorator, stated her enjoy of being wondered by way of Depardieu’s defence were “hell”. Assous had informed the ladies they have been liars and now not actual sufferers. He known as the ladies’s attorneys hysterical, “abject and stupid”.

Céline Piques of the feminist staff Osez Le Féminisme stated the ruling at the remedy of the Depardieu complainants in courtroom generally is a turning level in France. “Depardieu’s defence was absolutely shocking, with multiple excesses and sexist attacks. When women file a legal complaint they are mistreated at every step, from the investigation to the trial, where they are attacked with sexist archetypes and lawyers try to destabilise them with tactics outside the legal sphere. In Depardieu’s trial, there was at least recognition that this is not acceptable.”

Depardieu’s behaviour was once well known for years, witnesses informed the courtroom. Yet the actor were defended on the easiest stage of French tradition and politics. In 2023, 50 movie and cultural figures, together with the actor Charlotte Rampling and singer Carla Bruni, signed a petition entitled “Don’t Cancel Gérard Depardieu”.

Depardieu’s largest defender was once the French president. Emmanuel Macron – elected in 2017 simply because the #MeToo motion went international after revelations towards the Hollywood manufacturer Harvey Weinstein – had vowed to fight violence towards girls and women. But in 2023, when Depardieu was once beneath formal investigation for rape in some other case and likewise going through scrutiny over sexist feedback published in a TV documentary, Macron defended him, pronouncing “he makes France proud”. Asked on the time about stripping Depardieu of a state award, Macron prompt Depardieu was once the objective of a “manhunt”. Macron has but to touch upon Depardieu’s conviction.

Aurore Bergé, the French equality minister, stated after the decision: “No talent, however great, has the right to immunity.”

Depardieu, who denied the fees and can enchantment his conviction, was once given an 18-month suspended jail sentence. Earlier this yr, the movie director Christophe Ruggia, who was once discovered accountable of sexually assaulting the actor Adèle Haenel within the early 2000s when she was once elderly between 12 and 15, was once given a four-year sentence with two years suspended and two to be served with an digital bracelet.

Cases in France will also be gradual to come back to courtroom. The Paris prosecutor’s place of job has asked that Depardieu face an extra trial for rape and sexual attack in a separate case introduced by way of the actor Charlotte Arnould, however no date has been set. Depardieu has denied the ones allegations. The French TV presenter and newsreader Patrick Poivre d’Arvor, referred to as PPDA, has been positioned beneath formal investigation for alleged rape, after many ladies got here ahead in what’s observed as one of the most largest #MeToo instances in France. But the case is taking a very long time. He denies the allegations.

Emmanuelle Dancourt, the president of the affiliation MeTooMedia, is without doubt one of the ladies who filed court cases towards d’Arvor. She attended Depardieu’s trial and stated there must be a “complete overhaul” of the French criminal device, with specialist courts on sexist and sexual violence.

Dancourt stated that despite the fact that display trade was once essential, #MeToo teams in France have been becoming a member of forces throughout all sectors and social strata, together with business and lower-income jobs, so motion didn’t center of attention simplest on a “#MeToo of the 1%”.

She stated ladies who talk out in France, together with Depardieu’s two sufferers, nonetheless see an have an effect on on their careers. “France cannot keep lagging behind culturally and politically on this,” Dancourt stated. “It can’t be one step forward, two steps back.”