French director sentenced for harassing actress Adèle Haenel
A Paris court sentenced director Christophe Ruggia for sexually harassing actress Adèle Haenel when she was 12 years old. "You abused the influence you had over the young actress," said Judge Gilles Fonrouge in explaining the verdict.
Adèle Haenel and Christophe Ruggia first met in 2001 on the set of the film The Devils, which he directed and in which she played one of the main roles. It was Haenel's screen debut, and she was 12 years old.
In November 2019, Adèle Haenel revealed to journalists from the independent platform Mediapart that during the production of "The Devils," and for the following three years, she was harassed by Christophe Ruggia. The director regularly exploited her sexually.
Adèle Haenel on harassment by the French director
"I always sat on the couch, and he would sit on the chair opposite. Then he would move close to me and start clinging to me. He would kiss my neck, smell my hair, caress my thigh, and slowly move his hand towards my groin. He began to slide his hand under my shirt, looking for my breasts. He was aroused, I pushed him away, but it wasn't enough; I always had to move. When I refused to have sex, he got angry. (...) I was at his home every week, at his disposal," said Adèle Haenel, as quoted by wysokieobcasy.pl.
Journalists from Mediapart conducted their own investigation, confirming the actress's statements. People who worked on "The Devils" admitted that the relationship between the 12-year-old and the older director seemed too close and inappropriate. Ruggia was also said to isolate members of the crew from the two children who starred in the film. He reportedly confided his feelings about the young actress to his then-partner Mona Achache. He also wrote letters to Haenel, revealing "how he felt... down there because of her."
The director denied, but was ultimately convicted
Christophe Ruggia denied Adèle Haenel's accusations from the very beginning, saying he "wanted to protect" her. He claimed that the actress misunderstood his behaviour and additionally sought revenge for not being cast in his next film.
In 2019, the French prosecutor's office launched an investigation into "sexual assault on a minor under 15 years old." Ruggia was placed under judicial supervision and prohibited from approaching the actress. At the beginning of December 2024, he appeared before the Paris court, where he again spoke of wanting to protect her and being retaliated against.
On February 3, 2025, the Paris court sentenced Christophe Ruggia for molesting Adèle Haenel to four years: two under house arrest and the remaining two years of the sentence suspended.
"You abused the influence you had over the young actress Adèle Haenel," said Judge Gilles Fonrouge in justifying the verdict.
Christophe Ruggia is also required to pay 50,000 euros (approximately 73,000 CAD) in damages. His lawyers have announced an appeal.
