A French film director, Christophe Ruggia, 60, has been found guilty of sexually assaulting actor Adèle Haenel when she was underage. Ruggia has received a four-year sentence, with two years suspended, and will serve the remaining two years under house arrest wearing an electronic bracelet. Additionally, he has been ordered to pay €15,000 (£12,500) to Haenel as compensation and €20,000 for her psychological therapy.
The court president commented that Ruggia had "taken advantage" of his influence over Haenel, who was between 12 and 15 years old at the time. Ruggia's lawyer, Fanny Collin, stated he would appeal the sentence.
Haenel, now 35, received support from women's rights activists as she left the courtroom. Reporters noted her nervousness before the verdict, but she showed no reaction to Ruggia's sentencing.
Haenel had accused Ruggia of assaulting her during the filming of his 2002 movie Les Diables (The Devils) when she was 12 years old. Despite his denial, investigations revealed crew unease regarding Ruggia's on-set behavior.
During media interviews, Haenel described being manipulated by Ruggia in her youth and feeling unprotected when pressured to act inappropriately in the name of art. Ruggia denied the allegations, claiming he sought to "protect" Haenel during her early fame days.
The revelation of notes on Ruggia's computer, referring to Haenel's "overflowing sensuality" at 12 years old, caused further controversy. Ruggia also associated himself with France's #MeToo movement, prompting a heated confrontation in court with Haenel last December.
After starring in the acclaimed film Portrait of a Lady on Fire in 2019, Haenel disclosed the "sexual harassment" she faced from Ruggia during an emotional interview. She made public her decision to speak out following the documentary Leaving Neverland, which shed light on Michael Jackson's relationships with children.
Haenel's departure from the French film industry in 2023 in protest against its tolerance of sexual predators coincided with rape accusations against actor Gérard Depardieu, upcoming trial for Benoît Jacquot, Jacques Doillon, and actress Judith Godrèche. Notably, director Céline Sciamma and Godrèche attended the court session to hear the verdict on Monday.