When Gerard Depardieu steps into a Paris courtroom on Monday, he will face more than just the two women who have accused him of sexual assault.
The celebrated French actor will also take on a society that has long been criticised for failing to effectively combat sexual violence, especially when it is perpetrated by powerful figures.
Depardieu, 76, is accused of assaulting a set designer and assistant director during the filming of the movie “Green Shutters” (Les Volets Verts) in 2021.
Although more than 20 women have publicly accused him of sexual harassment, this is the first case to go to court.
It is also the most resonant case since the MeToo movement in France, testing whether a country known for its seduction culture is ready to hold its cultural titans to account.
Prosecutors allege Depardieu grabbed one of the women by the legs and then began touching her waist and chest in front of witnesses.
In an interview with Mediapart, the 54-year-old set designer said Depardieu shouted on set that he “couldn't even lift it” because of the heat, and then told her: “Come and touch my big umbrella. I'll stick it in your (lower body).”
She claims he grabbed her with force and bodyguards had to pull him away.
The second woman, a 34-year-old production assistant, said she was also groped both on set and in public. The identities of the plaintiffs are being withheld to protect the alleged victims of sexual assault.
Depardieu denied all accusations.
In an open letter published in Le Figaro in October 2023, he wrote: “Never, never have I insulted a woman. The very idea of hurting someone or making them feel uncomfortable is unbearable to me.”
He added: “I've only ever been guilty of being too loving, too generous, or having too much of a temperament.”
His lawyer, Jeremy Assous, called the case baseless and said Depardieu, who recently underwent quadruple bypass surgery and suffers from diabetes, would attend the two-day trial, with breaks scheduled because of his health.
France has often treated the MeToo movement with ambivalence and even distrust.
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