French film legend Gérard Depardieu has been convicted of sexually assaulting two women on a film set, marking a significant moment in the ongoing reckoning over abuse in the entertainment industry. The 76-year-old actor was handed an 18-month suspended prison sentence by a Paris court and added to France’s sex offender registry.

The case centered on incidents from September 2021 during the filming of Les Volets Verts (The Green Shutters), where two women accused Depardieu of groping them. One of them, a set decorator identified as Amélie, provided consistent and compelling testimony, according to the judge. The second woman, a 34-year-old assistant director using the pseudonym Sarah, described multiple incidents in which Depardieu touched her inappropriately over her clothing.

Depardieu, who was not present for the verdict due to a film shoot in the Azores, denied the allegations, claiming any contact was either accidental or misinterpreted. His defense lawyer, Jérémie Assous, announced plans to appeal, maintaining his client's innocence and accusing the women of fabricating their accounts.

Amélie expressed her relief and validation after the verdict, calling it "a victory, a major step forward." Her lawyer, Carine Durrieu-Diebolt, emphasized the wider implications of the ruling: “It’s not just a win for these two women, but for all victims in the film industry,” she said, adding that this verdict comes just before the Cannes Film Festival—symbolic timing, she noted, for an industry long criticized for tolerating misconduct.

The judge found no reason to doubt the victims’ stories, which included detailed descriptions of Depardieu’s lewd language and inappropriate touching. The actor was ordered to pay €1,000 in compensation to each woman for "secondary victimisation"—a recognition of the trauma experienced during the trial process.

The courtroom exchanges were tense, with Depardieu's lawyer accusing the plaintiffs’ legal team of being more activist than advocate. He argued that his client was being unfairly vilified. Meanwhile, Claude Vincent, representing one of the victims, labeled Depardieu a “misogynist” and emblematic of deeper issues in the industry.

This was Depardieu’s first criminal trial for sexual assault, though other women have come forward publicly with similar accusations. A separate rape case remains under investigation and could also proceed to trial.

Throughout the proceedings, Depardieu remained defiant. “My name has been dragged through the mud by lies and insults,” he said in court. He described the experience as surreal, comparing it to being in a science fiction movie—except it was his life.

Despite claiming he had not worked since the allegations emerged, Depardieu has recently resumed acting. He is currently filming a movie directed by longtime collaborator and friend Fanny Ardant, who also defended him during the trial. "Genius always carries something dangerous," she said, describing Depardieu as both “monster and saint.”

Veteran actress Brigitte Bardot also voiced support for Depardieu, criticizing the public backlash. “Talented men who touch a woman’s buttocks are being thrown into the dungeon,” she said in a TV interview. “Feminism isn’t my thing. I like men.”

The conviction signals a powerful message in France's cultural and legal landscape: fame does not grant immunity, and those who come forward can be heard.