French Filmmaker Accused of Sexually Assaulting Actress Adele Haenel Denies Charges
A French filmmaker, Christophe Ruggia, accused of sexually assaulting actress Adele Haenel when she was 12 years old, denied the charges in court on Monday. Haenel, now 35, alleged that Ruggia sexually assaulted her between 2001 and 2004, when she was between 12 and 14 years old.
Ruggia, 59, faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of 150,000 euros if found guilty of assaulting a minor. He claimed that the allegations were “pure lies” and that Haenel had reconstructed the events to suit her own narrative.
The trial saw the showing of extracts from the 2002 film “The Devils”, in which Haenel made her debut as a child actress. The film contains sex scenes between the children and close-ups of Haenel’s naked body. Haenel looked shaken as the extracts were shown and Ruggia watched without emotion.
Haenel testified that Ruggia would caress her thighs and touch her genitals and breasts during their meetings, which took place nearly every Saturday between 2001 and 2004. She also alleged that Ruggia would give her a “snack” before taking her back to her parents.
Ruggia claimed that Haenel had asked to come to his home and that they would spend hours discussing cinema and watching DVDs together. He suggested that Haenel had become “radicalised” over the past five years, citing her involvement in the #MeToo movement and her protests against the film industry’s treatment of women.
Haenel has been a vocal advocate for the #MeToo movement in France and has accused the industry of turning a blind eye to sexual abuse. She has won two Cesars, the French equivalent of an Oscar, but announced her retirement from the industry last year over its complacency towards sexual predators.
Outside the court, about 50 people gathered to show their support for Haenel, chanting “Adele, we believe you. Rapists we see you” and carrying placards with slogans such as “Adele, you’re not alone”.