France cinema's late reckoning with 'Me Too'

For decades, France's artists were seen as untouchable. That shield is cracking

- Agencies

Gérard Depardieu once seemed larger than France itself. With his hulking frame, crooked nose and volcanic charisma, he reigned over cinema for half a century. But this week, the actor who starred in more than 230 films, sat slumped in a Paris courtroom.

He faces two counts of sexual assault. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison and a fine of 75,000 euros. But more than Depardieu is on trial.

For many in France, this case marks the country's ultimate litmus test—a question not just of guilt or innocence, but of readiness. Can a nation famed for its culture of seduction—and long criticized for shielding its male artists—finally hold one of them accountable?