"I hope this will change attitudes": Pierre Niney reacts to the Depardieu trial

After Juliette Binoch and Brigitte Bardot , it is the turn of actor Pierre Niney to react to the trial of Gérard Depardieu . Present on Friday, May 18 at the Cannes Film Festival, the actor returned to the subject to the microphone of AFP: "We absolutely must render justice everywhere, as much as we can. I hope that this will advance mentalities and justice itself." For the 36-year-old artist, the cinema sector is gradually becoming aware of sexist and sexual violence: "I see change, I have the impression that there are warning lights that are still coming on, on things that we cannot do, that we can no longer do."

Pierre Niney also gave his opinion on the influence of women in the cinematic world: "In European cinema, there are only a quarter of women directors. There's still a long way to go," confided the actor. "We have to do it, just to have an equal and real representation of the world around us."

As a reminder, on Friday, May 13, actor Gérard Depardieu was sentenced at first instance to 18 months in prison, suspended. He is accused of sexually assaulting a set designer and an assistant director during the filming of the film Les Volets verts in 2021. During the trial, the 76-year-old actor defended himself by saying: " I don't see why I would have fun groping a woman, her buttocks, her breasts. I'm not a frotteur in the metro." Gérard Depardieu's lawyer announced that he would appeal.

Many stars of the French seventh art have reacted to this legal case. In addition to Fanny Ardent, Brigitte Bardot recently defended the actor by confiding "Feminism is not my thing" . On the other hand, actresses like Vahina Giocante ( 99 francs ) or Sophie Marceau have openly attacked Gérard Depardieu: "Vulgarity and provocation have always been his stock in trade" denounced the actress of La Boum, in an interview published in Paris Match in 2023.