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It could not have been scripted more dramatically. On the very day the iconic Cannes Film Festival opened, French cinema giant Gérard Depardieu was found guilty of sexually assaulting two women on the set of the 2021 film The Green Shutters. The timing was uncanny, but the impact was colossal. The court ruled that the 76-year-old actor groped the women while using vulgar language. Once untouchable, Depardieu now stands convicted—symbolizing a seismic shift in the French film industry.
The once-revered actor was handed an 18-month suspended prison sentence and fined $31,300, in addition to being placed on France's sex offenders register. His lawyer confirmed that they intend to appeal the ruling. Despite about 20 women having previously accused Depardieu of inappropriate behavior, this is the first case to result in a conviction.
Depardieu, a towering figure in international cinema, rose to fame in the 1960s and earned a global following with Jean de Florette and Cyrano de Bergerac. The latter earned him an Oscar nomination and the Best Actor award at Cannes, propelling him into international stardom. But as writer Agnès C. Poirier notes, "when a monument falls, it is always powerful and symbolic." She adds that though his talent remains undeniable, his legacy has been "profoundly tarnished." His career has already ground to a halt, with no films in three years.
The news has cast a long shadow over this year's Cannes Festival, where Depardieu once reigned supreme. Jury President Juliette Binoche, who once acted alongside him, stated simply, "He is no longer sacred." The comment underscored a collective reckoning. Culture Editor Eve Jackson of France 24 observed that Depardieu was once considered the "son of Cannes," but now his legacy is irrevocably stained.
Last year's festival saw the rise of France's own #MeToo movement, with directors and actors openly confronting abuse in the industry. Actress Judith Godrèche's powerful short film Moi Aussi featured hundreds of silent victims of sexual abuse, sending a resounding message through the streets of Paris. Other high-profile convictions have rattled the industry, including that of Christophe Ruggia, who received a four-year sentence for assaulting Adèle Haenel.
The ripple effects are palpable. This year, seven films in the main competition are directed by women. Mascha Schilinski's The Sound of Falling, premiering today, deals with generational abuse. Still, questions linger: how far will the French film industry go in confronting its dark history?
The fall of Gérard Depardieu may be the tipping point. Once a cinematic colossus, his conviction represents more than a personal downfall—it signals the end of an era and the dawn of accountability.
