Paul Haggis, the Canadian screenwriter and producer Oscar winner in 2006 for the film Collision, has been arrested in Italy. He is suspected of “aggravated” sexual assault by a young woman.
Another earthquake in Hollywood. After having been splashed by the convictions of producer Harvey Weinstein, the world of the seventh art today has its eyes turned towards director Paul Haggis. Present at the Allora Fest film festival in the city of Ostuni for a few days, the Canadian screenwriter and producer was arrested by the Italian police. The reason ? A charge of sexual assault “aggravated”.
According to information revealed by the Italian press agencies ANSA and AGI, Paul Haggis is “seriously suspected of crimes of sexual assault and aggravated bodily harm, crimes committed against a young foreign woman”. According to the prosecution, the alleged victim met with him before the festival. “The suspect allegedly forced the young woman, whom he met some time before, to have sex”, indicates the prosecutor of Brindisi. The young woman would then “was forced to seek medical attention.” After several days of “intercourse not consented, she would have been driven” at Brindisi airport by the director himself, where she says there are “was abandoned at dawn, despite her precarious physical and psychological state”.
“He will be questioned by Thursday by a judge who will have to decide whether or not to confirm the detention,” his lawyer told the press. As soon as the case broke, the directors of the Allora Festival expressed in a press release “their full solidarity with the woman involved”. And specify having “proceeded, without delay, for the withdrawal of any participation of the director in the event”.
Four other complaints filed against Paul Haggis in 2018
At 69, Paul Haggis was a major figure in the cinema of the 2000s. In 2005, he took over the production of the film Collision, with Sandra Bullock and Matt Dillon. A year later, he received the Oscar for best film, best screenplay and best editing. In addition to being a director, he takes on the role of screenwriter. He writes the films Million Dollar Baby (2004), Memoirs of our fathers (2006) and Letters from Iwo Jima (2006) by Clint Eastwood. It is also found on two feature films of the James Bond saga: Casino Royale (2006) by Martin Campbell and Quantum of Solace (2008) by Marc Forster. However, this is not the first time that Paul Haggis finds himself immersed in this kind of scandal. In January 2018, he was accused of sexual abuse by four women. The victims had filed a civil lawsuit in New York.