After Harvey Weinstein, Gérard Depardieu? A "disciplinary procedure" will be initiated by the Grand Chancellery of the Legion of Honor against the French actor, who is the target of two complaints for rape and sexual assault, the Minister of Culture announced on Friday (December 15th).
"A Legion of Honour distinguishes a man, an artist, an attitude, values. As it happens, I have spoken with the Grand Chancellor of the Legion of Honour, General Lecointre: a Council of the Order of the Legion of Honour is going to meet and initiate disciplinary proceedings to decide whether or not this Legion of Honour should be suspended, withdrawn completely or not. It will be up to them to decide," said Rima Abdul Malak on France 5, in the program "C à vous".
Gérard Depardieu received the Legion of Honour from President Jacques Chirac in 1996.
💬 "It disgusted me" Rima Abdul Malak says Depardieu's "absolutely shocking remarks" "shame the France"
pic.twitter.com/ZvCTPUZDTu
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) December 15, 2023
Created by Emperor Napoleon I in the early nineteenth century, this distinction rewards civilians and soldiers for their acts and services rendered to France. Many artists have been awarded it.
The code of the Legion of Honor provides for the French that "behavior contrary to honor" can lead to a reprimand, suspension or exclusion from the order.
For foreigners, only one measure is provided, that of "withdrawal". It was then the subject of a decree signed by the President of the Republic, Grand Master of the Order. In 2017, for example, Emmanuel Macron initiated this step of forfeiture against Harvey Weinstein, accused of sexual assault and rape. The American producer was made a Knight of the Legion of Honour by Nicolas Sarkozy in March 2012.
Words and an attitude that "shame France"
"Obviously, Gérard Depardieu will be able to bring contradictory elements" during this procedure "but I understand that it can be done. It's important to open up this question," said Rima Abdul Malak, who nevertheless refuses any form of "cancel culture" against the cinematographic works in which the 74-year-old French actor appears.
"I think we have to keep seeing the films in which Gérard Depardieu has acted, we are not going to stop watching his films. On the other hand, I don't think that today anyone wants to do an evening of tribute or celebration to Gérard Depardieu. We're not going to remove his films from our heritage, not at all!" the minister said.
On a trip to Moissac (Tarn-et-Garonne) with government spokesman Olivier Véran earlier in the day, the minister had said that the words and attitude of the actor during a trip to North Korea in 2018 are "shame to France".
Indicted for rape, a second complaint of sexual assault
In these images unveiled by a report of "Complement" broadcast on France 2 in early December, the sacred monster of French cinema multiplies misogynistic and insulting remarks by addressing women, not sparing a girl of his obscene remarks.
"I've got a beam in my boxer shorts!"
🔴 #ComplementDenquete retrieved never-before-seen images of Gérard Depardieu during a trip to North Korea in 2018.
The actor has made a series of lewd comments about the women he meets.
▶️ Tonight at 23 p.m. on France 2 pic.twitter.com/dtOrb2AHF3
— Further investigation (@Cdenquete) December 7, 2023
"In this report, her attitude is intended to be a joke, a provocation, but (she) is actually quite disrespectful, unworthy and shames France," she added, "disgusted".
Gérard Depardieu has been under investigation since 2020 for rape, following a complaint from an actress, Charlotte Arnould.
At the same time as the broadcast of "Complement", a second complaint of sexual assault was filed by the actress Hélène Darras, for facts a priori time-barred, dating back to 2007 on a film set.
The actor denies the accusations.
With AFP
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