• Christophe Ruggia faces trial for abusing actress Adèle Haenel.
• Haenel accuses Ruggia of inappropriate behavior during The Devils.
• His lawyer, Fanny Colin, declined to comment.

French film director Christophe Ruggia went on trial Monday, facing charges of sexually abusing actress Adèle Haenel during her childhood. The allegations date back to 2001 when the two worked on the film The Devils. Haenel, then 12, accused Ruggia, then 36, of inappropriate behavior, marking one of the first major #MeToo cases in French cinema.

Haenel, known for her role in Portrait of a Lady on Fire, alleged that Ruggia repeatedly touched her inappropriately and isolated her from her family and crew.

She also claimed he subjected her and co-star Vincent Rottiers to uncomfortable, grueling filming conditions. “Christophe told me that he was in love with me and that the age difference was a curse for him and that unfortunately I was an adult in a child’s body,” Haenel told investigators.

Ruggia denies the allegations, which carry a potential 10-year prison sentence and a fine of €150,000. His lawyer, Fanny Colin, declined to comment.

Haenel’s accusations, first made public in 2019, spotlighted the #MeToo movement in France. Recently, she retired from acting, citing complacency toward sexual predators in the industry.

The trial is expected to conclude in two days. This case follows other controversies in French cinema, including charges against actor Gérard Depardieu.

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