PARIS.- French justice opened an investigation for rape against the actor and film-maker Frenchman Samuel Theis, who participated in the successful film Anatomy of a fallawarded the Palme d’Or at Cannes last year.
The public prosecutor’s office in Metz, eastern France, confirmed that a preliminary investigation is underway following a criminal complaint filed in late July, which was followed by a civil lawsuit in November.
The alleged rape took place last summer during the filming of a film titled I swear (I swear) starring Louise Bourgoin and Marina Fois and directed by Theis, according to the cultural magazine Telerama.
A 27-year-old technician said Theis forced him into a sexual relationship after a party with the film crew, in an apartment rented by the production. The young man claimed that he did not give his consent for that sexual act, and that he left the filming a few days later.
Theis, 45, told AFP that he had consensual oral sex with the plaintiff the morning after the party.
Actions against Theis
The production company opened an internal investigation when the technician sent Theis a text message in which he claimed to feel like a victim of a sexual assault.
In a statement, Theis said the investigation, which lasted months, found “no conclusive evidence or any information that could point to misconduct.”
Theis was, however, kept out of the crew for the rest of the filming of I swear. The director completed the filming remotely, giving instructions through intermediaries.
A source close to the case told AFP that the film’s producers wanted to conclude filming at the same time, without ignoring the technician’s allegations. Theis has not yet been questioned by investigators and said he learned about the criminal complaint from the press, according to his statement.
Anatomy of a falldirected by Justine Triet, has just won two Golden Globes. The film tells the trial of a woman accused of having killed her husband, played by Theis.
Source: AFP
