Dominique Boutonnat, the head of France’s premier cinema institution, was sentenced to three years in prison, with two years suspended, for sexually assaulting his godson in 2020.
The verdict was delivered on Friday by the Nanterre criminal court outside Paris.
Following the ruling, Boutonnat announced his resignation as head of the National Centre of Cinema (CNC), an organization responsible for implementing measures to combat sexual violence in the industry.
Boutonnat, 54, will serve his one-year prison term at home under electronic monitoring and is prohibited from contacting the victim for three years.
The court found the plaintiff’s testimony more credible than Boutonnat’s, stating that Boutonnat had “a real influence” over his godson. Despite the conviction, Boutonnat maintains his innocence and plans to appeal the decision.
The incident occurred during a holiday in Greece in 2020 when Boutonnat’s godson, then 19, accused him of attempting to masturbate him.
The young man described Boutonnat as being “more than a godfather” and recounted feeling used during the incident.
Boutonnat denied the allegations, claiming that it was his godson who initiated the situation by kissing him.
Placed under investigation in February 2021, Boutonnat was controversially reappointed as head of the CNC by the government in July 2022.
His conviction has sparked significant backlash, particularly as French cinema grapples with a renewed #MeToo movement, which has seen numerous high-profile figures, including Gerard Depardieu, accused of sexual abuse.
Caroline Toby, the victim’s lawyer, emphasized the court’s recognition of the abuse of authority, calling the case a clear demonstration of sexual assault.
The public prosecutor had initially requested a fully suspended three-year prison sentence for Boutonnat.
Boutonnat’s leadership of the CNC had been criticized by activists, who argued that his position was untenable given the serious nature of the charges against him.
