A French icon falls: Gérard Depardieu’s guilt will make his films hard to watch

Some will argue the actor’s legacy of landmark film roles should not be tainted by his conviction for sexual assault. But it willIt seems strangely appropriate that 76-year-old French movie star Gérard Depardieu was found guilty of sexual assault and given an 18-month suspended prison sentence on the eve of the 78th edition of the Cannes film festival. Both Cannes and Depardieu, born in the 40s, belong to an old world, but it seems only one of them has managed to adapt to the times we live in, especially since the #MeToo movement.For anyone who followed the trial closely, it was never in doubt that justice would prevail and that a French monument was about to fall. Once the accusers, two female technicians who worked as set-dresser and assistant director on the film Les Volets Verts in 2021, had pressed charges and the facts been exposed in court, there was little doubt as to the dignity of the victims and the veracity of the sexual assaults. But what was particularly striking was how Depardieu behaved throughout the trial. His attitude was an aggravating factor for the public but also the court. Unrepentant, uncomprehending, lamenting that he didn’t understand this new world, Depardieu pretended to be physically frailer than he was, and lacked gravitas. Continue reading...

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Oscar winning Kramer Vs Kramer director Robert Benton dies aged 92

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Oscar winning Kramer Vs Kramer director Robert Benton dies aged 92

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