Dominique Boutonnat, president of the CNC, risks a suspended sentence

Tried for alleged sexual assault on June 14, Dominique Boutonnat, president of the National Film Office, the most powerful French cinematographic institution, risks a three-year suspended prison sentence.

Boutonnat was indicted in February 2021 for the alleged sexual assault of his then 19-year-old godson in August 2020, during a vacation in Greece. Friday, at the Nanterre courthouse, the prosecutor requested a three-year suspended prison sentence against Boutonnat, who is currently serving a second term as president of the CNC. He was re-elected by the French government in 2022 despite having been charged with sexual assault a year earlier. He has denied all accusations. The CNC indicated in a press release sent to Variety that the “allegations concern the private sphere and have nothing to do with the activities of the CNC, the functioning of which has not been affected by the initiation of the legal procedure”.

The film's director, who has close ties to French President Emmanuel Macron, was criticized by an investigative article in Libération and a petition to remove him from office on the eve of the Cannes Film Festival. So far, the petition has collected 4,551 anonymous signatures and is supported by various organizations, including the Collectif 50/50, MeTooMédia and the CGT Spectacle union, as well as by actress-director Judith Godrèche. The latter catalyzed a wave of #MeToo accounts in France after accusing filmmakers Benoit Jacquot and Jacques Doillon of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager.

The petition highlights the irony of Boutonnat remaining at the head of the National Film Board while the organization has implemented several policies, including workshops for film professionals, aimed at combating sexual violence. During a Senate hearing earlier this week, Godrèche said the situation at the CNC symbolized the country's reluctance to embrace the #MeToo movement. But French Culture Minister Rachida Dati said Boutonnat should remain in office because he benefits from the presumption of innocence. Some sources have pointed out that Boutonnat might even have the opportunity to complete his term even if he is convicted of sexual assault, as it does not pertain to his professional role, and he is expected to appeal the decision.