This week, several French actresses testified about the rapes and sexual assaults to which they were victims by French actors or directors. We take stock.
Gérard Depardieu, Nicolas Bedos, Samuel Theis, Philippe Garrel… In recent months, several big names in French cinema have been accused of abuse and sexual violence. Without forgetting Roman Polanski, a few years earlier. Six years after #MeToo, the movement is gaining unprecedented momentum in the world of the seventh art. Speech seems to be freed, with more and more actresses emerging from the silence.
Benoît Jacquot
This week, several of them in turn denounced rapes and sexual assaults suffered by French actors and directors. Among them, Judith Godrèche announced on the microphone of France Inter, Tuesday February 6, having filed a complaint against Benoît Jacquot for “rape with violence against a minor”. She accuses the director of having abused her, evoking the influence he used during the“unhealthy story” that they experienced at the end of the 1980s, after their meeting on the set of the film Beggars. She was only 14 then, he was 39.
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Going back to the 1980s, the facts are certainly prescribed. An investigation into the accusations of rape of a minor was nevertheless opened, the prosecution revealed to AFP, and entrusted to the Minors Protection Brigade of the Paris judicial police.
In a preparatory text for her hearing with the Minor Protection Brigade, where she filed her complaint on February 6, the 51-year-old actress described “a story like the stories of children who are kidnapped and who grow up without seeing the world and who cannot think ill of their captor”. “I would have liked Benoît to agree to be my friend, to not have me, I didn’t want his body. Very quickly, he disgusted me”she added, detailing a relationship of control and abuse of power, characterized by “rough sex” and the “perversion” by Benoît Jacquot. For his part, the latter denies any accusation and speaks only of “love relationship”.
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Jacques Doillon
In The worldwho published a investigation on the subject, Judith Godrèche sent a poignant open letter to her daughter Tess, aged 18, on the subject of consent. “It’s the story of a 14-year-old girl in Paris in the 90s,” she begins. “Not so long ago, you were fifteen. Not so long ago, I kept quiet about my story”she continues, before mentioning the “fear of words”, “not pretty”, “not gentle”, “not metaphorical”having pushed her to “circumvent reality”.
At the same time, the actress also denounced the director Jacques Doillon, the ex of Jane Birkin and father of Lou Douillon, whom she accuses of having raped her when she was 15 years old. Still on the air France InterThursday February 8, she revealed that she had been a victim “twice” of the interpreter of La gadoue, each time in his office, at home, at the end of the 1980s. “All of a sudden he decides there’s a love scene, a sex scene between him and me.”she said. “I take off my sweater, I’m shirtless, he gropes me, makes out with me”. Judith Godrèche announced that she had filed a complaint against him. An investigation into rape of a minor has been opened.
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Shortly after, The world published the testimonies of two new actresses also accusing the director of violence. These are Isild Le Besco, who mentions “psychological and physical violence”, and Julia Roy, who denounces “verbal and physical violence”.
Philippe Caubère
The actor Philippe Caubère was also the subject of accusations this week. Thursday February 8, the latter was indicted for sexual assault, rape and corruption of a minor under 15 years old. The facts, which concern three minors, would have occurred between 2010 and 2021. The figure of the French theater, who has been placed under judicial supervision, is thus the subject of a preliminary investigation for “sexual offense against a minor over 15 years old by person having authority”. This follows the complaint of an actress, who accused the director of “sexual abuse” in 2012 when she was 16 years old, and he was 61.
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In January, Philippe Caubère published a press release in which he admitted to having had a “consensual relationship” for 4 months with a 16-year-old girl, in 2012. He was already the target of a complaint for rape, in 2019. She had nevertheless was dismissed without further action.
Christophe Ruggia
The case concerning director Christophe Ruggia also experienced a twist this week. As a reminder, he is accused by Adèle Haenel of sexual assault. The actress claims to have suffered “constant sexual harassment”, “sexual touching” and “forced kisses on the neck” from him, between the ages of 12 and 14. The one who played the main role in the film Devilsdirected by Christophe Ruggia in 2001, filed a complaint in November 2019.
This Thursday, February 8, the Paris prosecutor’s office requested a trial against the director for aggravated sexual assault. This referral to the criminal court would be due to two aggravating circumstances: the fact that Adèle Haenel was a minor at the time of the events and the position of authority of Christophe Ruggia, who was the first director to have filmed it.
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Rights of women and children, violence, feminism, gender, discrimination, parenthood, education, psychology, health, sexuality…. Joséphine loves deciphering all the social issues that drive our world today. She you …