Dozens of French actors denounce ‘lynching’ of Gerard Depardieu • FRANCE 24 English

Well let’s bring in our International Affairs editor Philip tur Philip for those trying to get a sense of what’s happened here talk us through the the events including the President weigh in on this so a deu is one of the best known French actors around the world

He’s start in dozens of film since the 1970s and is really seen as being an icon as far as French Cinema is concerned basically if a film has deal in it then the film is going to be a success at the box office and he’s

Become a well known as an icon of French cinema right the way around the world so these uh allegations which have come forward have seriously undermine the image of jihad Padu here in France a reminder there are three women who have said that they were sexually molested by

Him one of them has accused him of rape uh the most recent accusation started earlier this month uh by uh a Spanish actress uh who said that she was sexually Ed by jard deu back in 1995 this is all under investigation uh by the French judicial authorities now

On top of that just earlier this month on the 7th of December France France television uh the French State television network showed a documentary uh called the complimentary inquiry into Jadu which carried those remarks that you were talking about which were filmed in North Korea at a uh stud Farm where a

Little girl was riding on a horse and jihar de Padu was uh quite obscene in the comments that he made about the little girl and about his feelings towards women and that has led to a backlash against him in France and then a signing of this uh tribunal in LEF

Figo which was published last night the French newspaper L figuro signed by about 50 personalities backing Jihad I just saying that he is being lynched in public uh ahead of any investigation into whether he is guilty or Inn inent you have as you just mentioned a gr

Large group uh feminist movement a lot of people saying hang on a minute look at the femicide rate in France here a lot of crimes going unpunished and pointing fingers to say this is wrong it should be looked at you have on the other side of this this this group of

Celebrities saying this man hasn’t done anything he’s alleged to have we wait to see him whether or not he’s tried for it and yet the president’s got involved too this is a divisive issue well I think this was an occasion where president mron really should not have got involved

In this because he has given his backing to jihar Deo he appeared on French television last week and and said that he was uh willing to back the actor uh and saying that he was a a Salesman for France overseas he was an icon and that

He was uh an ambassador for the country and that uh he had the right to the presumption of innocence which is correct but it’s not really the position of the French President to come out in support of someone in case that support then crumbles if the person is found

Guilty if they are brought to trial uh so that has inflamed the debate here in France and you’re quite right people in the feminist movement have said look uh there’s no reason why jihu should receive a different sort of treatment to anybody else who’s accused of of rape or or sexual

Impropriety uh and uh this is split uh public opinion in France especially when uh the figures show that many women who have been raped or suffering from uh sexual uh impropriety from people uh go to the police uh and in many cases uh their claims are thrown out 74% of

Claims don’t go any further than just the initial notification of the police and only one woman out of 10 according to the figures actually does go to the police uh to report sexual crimes so I think there’s a general worry in France that jard P is such an icon he should be

Someone who is responsible uh okay he’s going to be tried uh on the one hand you have these 50 personalities who are backing him saying he deserves the right to innocence until the trial but others are saying well look seeing these results uh and these comments that we’ve

Seen on French television this is totally unacceptable and therefore he needs to be criticized straight away

Nearly 60 French actors and other prominent figures have denounced the “lynching” of disgraced cinema legend Gerard Depardieu, who is charged with rape and facing a litany of sexual assault claims. Last week French President Emmanuel Macron said Depardieu had become the target of a “manhunt”, while his family has denounced an “unprecedented conspiracy” against him. FRANCE 24’s Philip Turle brings you this analysis
#France #Depardieu #cinema

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16 comments
  1. He might be innocent. If she was molested in 1995 it’s a bit long to wait with your complaint. And how was she molested? With a kiss? Or rape?

  2. Was he lynched or accused of serious crimes??? Did they hang, torture and murder him in a public square as a form of community entertainment and virtue signaling? Because that’s a lynching.

  3. I was a big fan of Depardieu in the 80s. UNTIL he himself gave an interview in which he described the rape of a woman in which he participated. He demonstrated remorse, but I've never seen him in the same way since. So, it isn't difficult to imagine a repeat offense. What kind of man would EVER participate in a sexual assault???

  4. If french actors' "art" is in danger of dying over allegations against one man, I'd say their "art" is already on life-support and probably isn't worth saving.

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