Dominique Boutonnat Reappointed As Head Of France’s CNC Ahead Of Sexual Assault Hearing
Dominique Boutonnat has been reappointed as head of France’s National Cinema Centre (CNC) against a backdrop of fierce criticism from parts of the local film industry about his performance in the role and an ongoing investigation into accusations of sexual assault.
Expectations that he would stay in the three-year post for a second term have been high ever since France’s new Culture Minister Rima Abdul Malak expressed her support for him in an interview at the end of June.
A number of cinema organisations have been lobbying against Boutonnat’s reappointment but for different reasons.
French directors guild la Société des Réalisateurs issued a statement last week criticising Boutonnat’s more mainstream approach, which has seen the CNC broaden its focus beyond independent cinema to support other formats such as TV drama series and video games.
Gender Equality group Le Collectif 50/50 has also been lobbying against his reappointment, but rather due to the sexual assault allegations against him. The body said that regardless of the outcome of the case, Boutonnat should not be reconsidered for the role while the investigation was ongoing.
Boutonnat has been under investigation since October 2020 after his godson filed a police complaint against him accusing him of sexual assault during a family holiday in Greece in 2020.
The former producer has denied the allegations and his lawyer has suggested he may sue his accuser. In her June interview, Culture Minister Abdul Malak emphasized the fact that Boutonnat “was under investigation but had not been condemned”.
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