Gérard Depardieu’s conviction: A milestone that falls short
The conviction of French film star Gérard Depardieu for sexually assaulting two women marks yet another significant moment in France’s reckoning with sexual abuse by those in positions of power.
Coming just a few months after the Gisele Pelicot case, this verdict adds to the growing sense that a long-overdue shift is underway in France. But while the guilty verdict is a step forward, the 18-month suspended sentence feels like a bitter letdown.
Depardieu was found guilty of groping two women, Amélie and Sarah, both during filming in 2021. Both women gave clear, consistent accounts of being touched without consent by a man whose status and reputation made it almost impossible to push back. Their testimony described not just discomfort, but fear, humiliation, and a sense of powerlessness.
The court believed them. And yet, Depardieu walks free.
Depardieu’s claim that he “did not even know what sexual assault was” is as offensive as it is absurd. It was not only unconvincing, as the judge pointed out, but insulting.
Depardieu’s account changed repeatedly and it was reported he blatantly lied.
Although he was convicted, Depardieu avoided prison. This sends the message that even when women are believed, powerful men still face minimal consequences.
Survivors deserve more than symbolic accountability. This case should mark not just a turning point in public awareness, but in the justice system’s willingness to treat sexual violence with the seriousness it demands.
This trial, Depardieu’s first for sexual assault, coincided with the start of the Cannes Film Festival. A potent reminder of the film industry’s long history of enabling abuse behind the glamour.
The survivors were awarded €1,000 each for the “secondary victimisation” they suffered through the trial process, a nod to the additional trauma of reliving their experiences under public scrutiny and facing hostile cross-examination.
This is a welcome legal innovation in France. Survivors there go through the same gruelling process with little or no acknowledgement of the emotional cost. Judges should be encouraged to recognise how damaging this can be and take it into account when sentencing or awarding damages, especially where re-traumatisation is obvious.
This case is rightly seen as a milestone for France’s MeToo movement. It proves that even cultural giants can be held to account, at least in part. But it also shows the limits of a justice system that still falls short of real consequences. Survivors deserve outcomes that match the seriousness of what they endured.
As a French national, I want to feel proud that my country is finally confronting abuse by those in power. But it’s hard not to feel disappointed, even ashamed, when convictions don’t lead to meaningful consequences.
