VIDEO. Carole Bouquet, Catherine Deneuve… the revelations of the former Minister of Culture about the Gérard Depardieu affair

Former Minister of Culture Rima Abdul-Malak spoke at a hearing on violence in the film industry and returned to the Gérard Depardieu affair.

Following Judith Godrèche's accusations against the two directors Benoît Jacquot and Jacques Doillon, a commission on “violence in film and live performance” was set up and chaired by Green MP Sandrine Rousseau. During a hearing held on January 27, Rachida Dati’s predecessor, Rima Abdul-Malak, spoke to the Assembly.

“He's just bawdy, he's just annoying”

The former Minister of Culture under Élisabeth Borne provided answers on the Gérard Depardieu affair and the show Complément d’enquête: Gérard Depardieu: the fall of the ogre ; but also the request to withdraw the Legion of Honor from the actor.

As for the documentary by France TV, she denounces the actor's behavior: his remarks about the little girl in a stud farm, but also his explanations to a man that indicate that “you have to take women by surprise”, something he will repeat twice. “If this is not an apology for rape, I don't know what is”, reacts the ex-minister.

Rima Abdul-Malak recalls that a “disciplinary procedure” was in the process of withdrawing his Legion of Honour, that it was not his job and that the Grand Chancellery would certainly take appropriate measures if he was convicted.

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The person who succeeded Roselyne Bachelot, who was also present at the commission on 27 January, explained that she had been contacted by several women to defend Gérard Depardieu. “I had been called as a minister, by Carole Bouquet, by Catherine Deneuve, by a certain number of female actresses who wanted to defend Gérard Depardieu”, she assured the audience.

“They told me: 'He wouldn't hurt a fly, he's just bawdy, he's just a pain in the ass, but he can't hurt a fly'”, adds Rima Abdul-Malak. However, she defends French cinematographic heritage, and reiterates that we must continue to watch Gérard Depardieu's films.

The former minister recalls the importance of the fight “against this violence so that it doesn't happen again, against this trivialized harassment on film sets”. She already sees a change, particularly with regard to the “heavy jokes” that should be called “harassment”. “These words of sexual harassment, no one put them on his gestures, his facts, his words. That's the debate. I hope that this controversy has helped to shed light on these issues.”

Reminder of the accusations

A world-renowned figure with over 200 films, Gérard Depardieu has been accused of sexual violence by several women over the past six years. Complaints of sexual assault against the actor have been dismissed due to the statute of limitations.

Gérard Depardieu is under threat of another trial: in August, the Paris prosecutor's office requested that he be referred to the criminal court to be tried for rape and sexual assault of actress Charlotte Arnould, the first to file a complaint against the actor, in 2018.

He also allegedly made “obscene remarks” to her, such as “Come touch my big parasol, I'm going to stick it in your pussy”. “My client is waiting for the courts to rule that Gérard Depardieu is a serial sexual aggressor”, added Me Carine Durrieu-Diebolt.

The actor will also be tried for sexual violence reported in a complaint by another woman, an assistant director on the same film.