In 2020, French actress Adèle Haenel ("Portrait of a Lady on Fire") walked out of the Césars (the equivalent of the French Oscars) ceremony when Roman Polanski won best director. In the same year, she had accused French director Christophe Ruggia of sexual assault when she was between 12 and 15 years of age.
Now, a trial process has been initiated against Ruggia for the aforementioned charges. Earlier this year, French prosecutors had requested a trial for Ruggia, who was charged with sexually assaulting Haenel when she was working in his 2002 film Les Diables (The Devils). She was 12 and he was 36 at the time.
Last year, the actress, now 34, said she was leaving the French film industry over its “complacency toward sexual aggressors” in an act of political statement.
Ruggia has denied the allegations. If sentenced, he would be imprisoned for a maximum of 10 years, and required to pay a 150,000-euro fine.
The French film industry has repeatedly been criticised for its indifferent attitude in matters of sexual misconduct. Before Ruggia, other prominent figures from the industry, such as Roman Polanski, Gerard Depardieu, and Dominique Boutonnat came under the radar for multiple instances of sexually inappropriate behaviour.
Aside from Haenel, French actress Judith Godrèche has spoken out against the predators in the industry. She is known for being the leading figure in France's #MeToo movement, following her disturbing revelations of Harvey Weinstein's behaviour in the 1990s.
Haenel had told investigators that during the times she was at Ruggia's house, he would touch her between her legs and caress her chest, and this behaviour interfered with her studies and triggered suicidal thoughts. She recounted to police that the filmmaker used to tell her that "he was in love" with her, that the “age difference was a curse” for him, and that "unfortunately, I was an adult in a child's body".
