Latest news with #Telerama
The Hindu
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Cannes 2025: Festival bans French actor from red carpet over sex assault allegations
The Cannes Film Festival has banned French actor Theo Navarro-Mussy from appearing on the red carpet for Thursday's premiere of French competition film Case 137 due to sexual assault allegations against him. Festival director Thierry Fremaux told Telerama magazine on Wednesday that he had decided, along with the film's producers, to exclude the actor because the courts had not issued a final ruling in the case. A joint complaint by three former partners accusing Navarro-Mussy of rape was dismissed by prosecutors last month for lack of sufficient evidence, according to his lawyer. The complainants, also actors, plan to file a new complaint, Telerama reported. Navarro-Mussy's lawyer, Marion Pouzet-Gagliardi, told Reuters that to date, there was no indication that any proceedings would continue, and that no new complaint had been formally recorded yet. Prosecutors did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A festival spokesperson referred Reuters to Fremaux's Telerama interview when asked to confirm the red carpet ban, which is believed to be the first of its kind. Navarro-Mussy has a small role in the detective drama directed by Dominik Moll. The festival's director told Telerama that he was also waiting to find out more about a report concerning another film personality that had recently come to his attention. Beginning this year, Cannes requires producers to guarantee that films submitted respect the safety, integrity and dignity of all contributors. The festival has faced criticism in the past for not doing more to embrace the #MeToo movement that has exposed men accused of sexual harassment in fields including entertainment, politics and business. ALSO READ:Cannes 2025: Robert De Niro receives standing ovation, Palme d'Or from Leonardo DiCaprio Fremaux's decision comes in the same week that actor Gerard Depardieu was found guilty of sexually assaulting two women on a film set in the highest-profile #MeToo case to come before judges in France. Depardieu has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, and his lawyer said he would appeal the court's decision.
Straits Times
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Cannes Film Festival bars Dossier 137 actor accused of rape in new #MeToo policy
Actor Theo Navarro-Mussy, who plays a police officer in a supporting role in the film Dossier 137 by Dominik Moll, was absent from the movie's premiere at Cannes. PHOTO: AFP CANNES, France - The Cannes film festival barred an actor in a prominent French film from the red carpet on May 15 because of sexual assault allegations, unveiling a new policy under pressure from lawmakers and activists. Theo Navarro-Mussy plays a police officer in a supporting role in the film Dossier 137 by Dominik Moll, which premiered on May 15 in the festival's main competition. According to French magazine Telerama, which broke the news, three former partners accused the actor of rapes in 2018, 2019, and 2020 but the case was dropped in April for lack of evidence. The three plaintiffs, all actors themselves, told Telerama they planned to appeal and file a civil lawsuit. Cannes Festival director Thierry Fremaux confirmed to Telerama that Navarro-Mussy had been excluded from the world's premier film festival because an appeal was under way. 'The judicial process is still ongoing,' Fremaux was quoted as saying, in remarks confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson. The treatment of Navarro-Mussy - if it becomes the basis of a consistent policy - would imply that any actor or director under active investigation for sexual assault would be excluded. It would align Cannes with the Cesar Awards, France's equivalent of the Oscars, which announced in January 2023 that nominees convicted of or under investigation for sexual assault would be barred. Navarro-Mussy, 34, who had a breakthrough role in the French medical TV drama Hippocrate, denies the allegations but he told Telerama he understood the decision by festival organisers. He did not join his co-stars including renowned French actress Lea Drucker on May 15 as they made their way up the red carpet to the premiere. Inquiry Elsewhere on May 15, a vice-president of one of the parallel film sections at Cannes was suspended after being publicly denounced for sexual violence during an event. The executive from the ACID Cannes section has been suspended pending an investigation, the organisation said. In the past, Fremaux has sought to avoid taking a clear stance on the numerous sexual assault cases that have dogged figures in the film industry, particularly since the #MeToo movement. He faced criticism from some activists in 2023 over the choice of the film Jeanne Du Barry to open the festival, which starred Johnny Depp. The movie marked Depp's comeback after a toxic court battle with ex-wife Amber Heard that revealed his turbulent private life involving alcohol, drugs and domestic abuse allegations. The #MeToo movement shook the French film industry from 2017, as it did Hollywood, exposing widespread sexual misconduct and challenging a long-standing culture of silence. Renowned French actress Lea Drucker attending the premiere of Dossier 137 at Cannes on May 15. PHOTO: EPA-EFE A recent French parliamentary inquiry into the entertainment industry, sparked by allegations of sexual abuse by actor Judith Godreche, found that the mistreatment of performers was 'endemic'. Inquiry chair Sandrine Rousseau, an outspoken feminist lawmaker from the Green party, called on the Cannes Festival to set an example when the findings were published in April. 'The Cannes Film Festival must be the place where this shift in mindset happens,' she said. 'Worried' Navarro-Mussy said he was 'worried' about his career, adding that he hoped the fact the case against him had been closed was 'taken into account'. 'I have explained myself to the justice system and at this stage have been cleared,' he told Telerama. His lawyer said that he had not been notified of any appeal against the decision to close the investigation. Moll, the director of Dossier 137, told AFP he was unaware of the allegations against the actor before starting to work with Navarro-Mussy 'and during the film nothing happened'. Moll's prize-winning previous film, The Night Of The 12th, tackled the issue of violence against women. He said he was 'very sensitive to this issue'. Allegations of rape between partners are among the most difficult to prove, meaning prosecutors rarely take them to court unless there is clear evidence. French screen legend Gerard Depardieu was handed an 18-month suspended sentence on the opening day of the Cannes film festival this year after being convicted of sexually assaulting two women on a film set in 2021. In other firsts at Cannes this year, the festival announced a new dress code that outlaws extravagantly large outfits that clog up the red carpet as well as 'total nudity'. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Reuters
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Reuters
Cannes bans actor from red carpet over sex assault allegations
CANNES, France, May 15 (Reuters) - The Cannes Film Festival has banned French actor Theo Navarro-Mussy from appearing on the red carpet for Thursday's premiere of French competition film "Case 137" due to sexual assault allegations against him. Festival director Thierry Fremaux told Telerama magazine on Wednesday that he had decided, along with the film's producers, to exclude the actor because the courts had not issued a final ruling in the case. A joint complaint by three former partners accusing Navarro-Mussy of rape was dismissed by prosecutors last month for lack of sufficient evidence, according to his lawyer. The complainants, also actors, plan to file a new complaint, Telerama reported. Navarro-Mussy's lawyer, Marion Pouzet-Gagliardi, told Reuters that to date, there was no indication that any proceedings would continue, and that no new complaint had been formally recorded yet. Prosecutors did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A festival spokesperson referred Reuters to Fremaux's Telerama interview when asked to confirm the red carpet ban, which is believed to be the first of its kind. Navarro-Mussy has a small role in the detective drama directed by Dominik Moll. The festival's director told Telerama that he was also waiting to find out more about a report concerning another film personality that had recently come to his attention. Beginning this year, Cannes requires producers to guarantee that films submitted respect the safety, integrity and dignity of all contributors. The festival has faced criticism in the past for not doing more to embrace the #MeToo movement that has exposed men accused of sexual harassment in fields including entertainment, politics and business. Fremaux's decision comes in the same week that actor Gerard Depardieu was found guilty of sexually assaulting two women on a film set in the highest-profile #MeToo case to come before judges in France. Depardieu has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, and his lawyer said he would appeal the court's decision.
Hindustan Times
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Cannes bans actor from red carpet over sex assault allegations
CANNES, France, - The Cannes Film Festival has banned French actor Theo Navarro-Mussy from appearing on the red carpet for Thursday's premiere of French competition film "Case 137" due to sexual assault allegations against him. Festival director Thierry Fremaux told Telerama magazine on Wednesday that he had decided, along with the film's producers, to exclude the actor because the courts had not issued a final ruling in the case. A joint complaint by three former partners accusing Navarro-Mussy of rape was dismissed by prosecutors last month for lack of sufficient evidence, according to his lawyer. The complainants, also actors, plan to file a new complaint, Telerama reported. Navarro-Mussy's lawyer, Marion Pouzet-Gagliardi, told Reuters that to date, there was no indication that any proceedings would continue, and that no new complaint had been formally recorded yet. Prosecutors did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A festival spokesperson referred Reuters to Fremaux's Telerama interview when asked to confirm the red carpet ban, which is believed to be the first of its kind. Navarro-Mussy has a small role in the detective drama directed by Dominik Moll. The festival's director told Telerama that he was also waiting to find out more about a report concerning another film personality that had recently come to his attention. Beginning this year, Cannes requires producers to guarantee that films submitted respect the safety, integrity and dignity of all contributors. The festival has faced criticism in the past for not doing more to embrace the #MeToo movement that has exposed men accused of sexual harassment in fields including entertainment, politics and business. Fremaux's decision comes in the same week that actor Gerard Depardieu was found guilty of sexually assaulting two women on a film set in the highest-profile #MeToo case to come before judges in France. Depardieu has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, and his lawyer said he would appeal the court's decision.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cannes Bans Actor Theo Navarro-Mussy From ‘Dossier 137' Premiere After Rape Allegations
Cannes Film Festival has banned 'Dossier 137' actor Theo Navarro-Mussy from walking the red carpet at the film's premiere on Thursday night amid accusations of rape and sexual assault. Navarro-Mussy has a supporting role in 'Dossier 137,' one of this year's Cannes competition titles. News of his banning from the red carpet broke ahead of the movie's Thursday evening premiere at the festival's Palais theater. More from Variety Lukas Rinker's Disaster, Survival Thriller 'Frostbite' Closes Sales, Adds Cast (EXCLUSIVE) Catalonia Serves Up Its Best at Cannes Catalan Animation Set for Landmark 2025 A representative for Navarro-Mussy did not immediately respond to Variety's request for comment. 'Dossier 137' producers Caroline Benjo and Carole Scotta, whose Haut et Court backed the political drama, told Variety the allegations against Navarro-Mussy date back to a case that occurred 'well before the film was shot.' 'Even though the alleged facts largely predate the production of the film, we decided with the festival management that the person in question would not accompany the film to Cannes, out of respect for the plaintiffs and for the victims' word, and without prejudice to the presumption of innocence of the accused,' the duo said in a statement. 'The management of the Cannes Film Festival has been very clear about not highlighting any person suspected of sexist or sexual violence. For Haut et Court, these issues are very close to our hearts, so this decision was a matter of course, as well as for Dominik Moll, whose position on these issues has always been very clear.' According to French news agency AFP, this marks the first time an actor has been banned from the festival due to sexual abuse allegations. On Wednesday, French publication Telerama first reported that Cannes chief Thierry Fremaux decided before the festival's opening on Tuesday, along with the film's production team, that Navarro-Mussy would not walk the carpet. Fermaux told Variety in April ahead of Cannes that the festival added a new clause to its regulations this year for films in the official selection 'to guarantee that the films submitted have respected and continue respecting the safety, integrity and dignity of all contributors and comply with legal obligations.' According to Telerama, Navarro-Mussy faces allegations from three former partners of rape and physical violence dating back to 2018, 2019 and 2020. Directed by César Award winner Dominik Moll, 'Dossier 137' is set during France's yellow vests protests and centers on a young man who gets injured by by a flash-ball projectile. Léa Drucker stars as an investigator named Stephanie who is assigned the task of determining who is responsible for the incident. The supporting cast includes Jonathan Turnbull, Mathilde Roehrich, Guslagie Malanda and Stanislas Merhar. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
