French cinema boss in court for sexual assault

The head of France’s largest cinema institution, Dominique Boutonnat, denied sexually abusing his godson at his trial on Friday in a case that has led to calls for his resignation.

The trial comes as French cinemas are still reeling from the renewed #MeToo crisis, in which several big names have been accused of sexual abuse, including acting legend Gérard Depardieu.

Activists have denounced Boutonnat’s continued leadership of the National Film Center (CNC), whose mission is to oversee measures to curb sexual violence in the industry.

His godson accuses him of trying to masturbate while on holiday in Greece in 2020 at the age of 19.

“I looked at him to find my godfather and I saw someone completely different… It was someone who was using me to masturbate,” the godson, whose name cannot be used for legal reasons, said in court.

Boutonnat responded in court that his godson initiated the situation and kissed him.

“I feel guilty when I leave an ambiguous situation behind me, but to claim that there was a sexual assault is wrong,” he explained in court.

He was investigated in February 2021, but was reappointed head of the CNC by the government in July 2022.

For films applying for public funding through the CNC, training on abuse prevention has been mandatory for several months.

The CNC told AFP that the charges against Boutonnat came from the “private sphere” and had nothing to do with his activities.

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