Over the last year or so, French filmmaker Luc Besson has been the subject of a sexual assault investigation linked to allegations made by an actress who worked on the recent film “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.” These allegations came right after multiple sexual misconduct claims from other women linked to Besson. However, in the case of the rape investigation, Besson actually had the case thrown out, as a judge found no reason to proceed.
But, as detailed in a new interview with The Ankler, the filmmaker is now speaking up after the alleged victim has asked for the French courts to reopen the case and take a second look. And Besson wants everyone to know that this whole situation is completely misconstrued.
READ MORE: New Sexual Assault Allegations Come Out Against Filmmaker Luc Besson
For those not well-versed in French law, court cases and appeals are handled very differently than in the United States. Instead of requiring new evidence or some other legal reason, a rape investigation can be reopened at the request of the victim, if he/she feels the previous judge got it wrong. And that’s what’s happening to Besson’s case right now.
“From what I’ve heard, the new judge takes the dossier, reads everything. If she thinks there are key things that are missing, she can ask one or two more things. After that, she makes her conclusions,” he explained.
As for what Besson says actually happened, he described a consensual relationship with the woman at the center of the case, detailing that the affair had gone on “for years.” But he said the situation was “a very sweet relationship,” with the allegations of rape coming “from nowhere.” Besson explained that the reason he’s coming forward with his side of the story now is because of his recent trips to see a therapist. He feels that he’s gained new insight on why he had the affair and hurt his family.
“And it’s very clear now, just coming from a family where—it was nothing big nothing interesting—just parents divorce, I’m in boarding school, lack of affection, lack of love,” Besson said. “And then you’re looking, every time you see grass, you think the grass is greener over there. Because something is missing and now I understand the process, how it’s working. I know I won’t be in this kind of problem anymore in my life, for sure.”
Now, this doesn’t necessarily explain the other misconduct claims from women who worked with the filmmaker of the last two decades. Besson explained that he’s unable to comment specifically about the instances since the women chose to remain anonymous. However, he does offer an apology of sorts.
“I don’t recognize any of that behavior,” said Besson regarding the misconduct claims. “Saying [that] though, if I have at any moment with anyone by my comportment bothered someone with a hug or with something that people at the time didn’t want to share with me, and I didn’t see that, I apologize. For sure. Because I never meant to bother someone, and if I did, I sincerely apologize. For sure, it was never my intention. I’m a sensitive guy, and a set is a very sensitive place. We are building feelings. You’re happy, you cry, you’re screaming, you hug, and we’re all like that on the set.”
He goes on to explain that over the course of any given day on set, he gets propositioned by multiple women asking to spend time with him outside of work. But Besson claimed that he doesn’t ever follow up with these requests.
“Never in my life do I answer this type of thing. Ever. I smile and say, thank you very much. But I have this solicitation five times a day. I never force anyone to do anything. It just doesn’t make sense,” he explained.
As you might imagine, Besson doesn’t give any credence to the accusations and says that he’s learned quite a bit from his whole #MeToo experience.
He said, “The first thing we have to change is men should have absolutely no solidarity at all with these guys who are acting badly. For sure. No solidarity. Solidarity should go with the woman, and I think that’s super important for men to understand that.”
Besson’s most recent film, “Anna,” is now available on Blu-ray, Digital, On-Demand, and all that.
