PARIS - A court in Paris is due to hand down its verdict in the sexual assault trial of French actor Gerard Depardieu on Tuesday, in one of the highest-profile #MeToo cases to come before judges in France.
Depardieu is accused of sexually assaulting two women on a film set in 2021. A towering figure of French cinema, Depardieu repeatedly denied any wrongdoing during the trial and his lawyer pleaded for charges against him to be dismissed.
The public prosecutor has asked the court to hand 76-year-old Depardieu a suspended 18-month prison sentence and a 20,000 euro fine ($22,250).
READ MORE: Depardieu accusations expose divide in France over sexism
The #MeToo protest movement over sexual violence has struggled to gain the same traction in France as in the United States, though there are signs that social attitudes towards sexual assault may be changing.
One of the two plaintiffs, Amelie K, a set decorator, told the court the actor had groped her all over her body as he trapped her between his legs and made explicit sexual comments.
"He touched everything, including my breasts," she told the court. "I was terrified, he was laughing."
The second plaintiff said she was groped by Depardieu on set and in the street.
The alleged assaults occurred during the filming of "Les Volets Verts" (The Green Shutters) in 2021, while Depardieu was under formal investigation over accusations of raping a young actress in 2018. Prosecutors have requested that case go to trial too.
Depardieu told the court that he did not consider placing a hand on a person's buttocks sexual assault and that some women were too easily shocked. He denied assault.
READ MORE: French prosecutors drop rape case against actor Depardieu
Depardieu has faced a growing number of sexual assault allegations in recent years, which has put a spotlight on how women are treated in the movie industry.
His trial has laid bare a generational divide in France over sexism, with some prominent older actresses defending him.
Brigitte Bardot, 90, told broadcaster BFM TV on Monday that "those who have talent and grope a girl get thrown into the gutter".
