French Film Director Christophe Ruggia Sentenced For Assaulting Actress Adèle Haenel

A French court has found film director Christophe Ruggia guilty of sexually assaulting actress Adèle Haenel when she was between 12 and 15 years old in the early 2000s.

Ruggia was sentenced on Monday to two years under house arrest with an electronic bracelet, along with a two-year suspended sentence. The ruling is seen as a significant moment in France’s #MeToo movement.

The court stated that Ruggia “took advantage of his dominant position” over Haenel, noting that their frequent meetings at his home over three years involved inappropriate behavior that gradually isolated her from her loved ones.

Ruggia, now 60, denied any wrongdoing.  Haenel, now 35, was the first high-profile French actor to publicly accuse the film industry of ignoring sexual abuse. In 2019, she revealed that Ruggia had repeatedly touched her inappropriately during and after the filming of Les Diables (The Devils).

As the verdict was announced, Haenel appeared relieved, taking deep breaths. Women’s rights activists applauded her as she left the courtroom.