MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
French actor Gerard Depardieu is guilty of sexual assault. That was the ruling from a French court this morning. Two women said Depardieu groped them on a set several years ago. Depardieu has denied any sexual abuse, and his lawyer says he will appeal. Women's rights activists say the verdict could mark a symbolic turning point for France's #MeToo movement. Joining us now to tell us more about all this is journalist Rebecca Rosman in Paris. And here is where I want to let you know that we will be talking about the sexual assault case for the next few minutes. Rebecca, good morning. Thank you so much for joining us.
REBECCA ROSMAN: Good morning.
MARTIN: So first of all, what can you tell us about how the court reached its decision?
ROSMAN: Well, in short, the judges said they found the women's testimonies credible and consistent, while Depardieu's story kept changing between police custody and the courtroom. He was given an 18-month suspended sentence, which is what prosecutors asked for, meaning he won't serve any jail time unless he's convicted again. I should note that Depardieu was not present in the court today to hear the decision. He's on a film set in Portugal.
MARTIN: Can you walk us through some of the key details of the accusations of the prosecution's case?
ROSMAN: Sure. So the case centered on two women who say Depardieu groped them while working on the set of the film "Les Volets Verts" in 2021. And during his testimony, Depardieu admitted to using vulgar language on set, but claimed that if he did touch the women, it was either accidental or in an effort to maintain his balance. He denied any wrongdoing and said he felt his name had been, quote, "dragged through the mud by lies and insults."
It's worth noting that Depardieu is also still under investigation in a separate case involving a French actress who has accused him of raping and sexually assaulting her on two occasions at his home in 2020. And all this comes just months after France's Parliament published a big report detailing widespread abuse within the French film industry. The report called for structural reforms and greater accountability, meaning this case - you know, it's not just about one man, but a much wider reckoning within French cinema.
MARTIN: You've been speaking with #MeToo activists throughout the trial, as well as with one of the victims' lawyers. What were they hoping this case would demonstrate or even change?
ROSMAN: Yeah. So just yesterday, I spoke to Carine Durrieu-Diebolt, who is a lawyer for one of the women in this trial. She said she saw this case as an opportunity to push for changes to France's statute of limitations.
CARINE DURRIEU-DIEBOLT: (Speaking French).
ROSMAN: So she's pointing out here that while more than 20 women have made public accusations against Depardieu, only two of these cases can actually go to trial, and that's because France's current statute of limitations is 20 years. But she says it can take a long time for victims to come forward, and maybe this trial is a chance to revisit this idea. Also, just more generally, I'd say Depardieu has long been seen as a titan of the French film industry. For decades, he's cultivated this reputation for being flirtatious, sometimes provocative when it comes to his behavior towards women. But he's had a lot of powerful defenders, including French President Emmanuel Macron. So I think for many activists here, the hope is that this verdict might shift how France perceives and responds to this type of behavior.
MARTIN: That is Rebecca Rosman in Paris. Rebecca, thank you so much.
ROSMAN: Thank you.
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