French film director Christophe Ruggia has been found guilty of sexually assaulting Adèle Haenel while she worked on his 2002 film Les Diables (The Devils). The verdict was delivered on Monday, February 3, marking the conclusion of one of France’s first #MeToo cases.

The Parisian court ruled that Ruggia had “taken advantage” of his influence over Haenel, who was aged between 12 and 15 at the time of the assaults. The film itself follows an incestuous relationship between a boy and his autistic sister and features sex scenes with children, including close-ups of Haenel’s naked body.

After shooting on the production wrapped, the charges stated that Ruggia would continue to meet up with Haenel every Saturday when he would allegedly touch her sexually and put his hands in her underwear. Investigators said they also found notes on the director’s computer where he wrote about the 12-year-old child’s “overflowing sensuality”.

In interviews with French media, Adèle Haenel said she was controlled and manipulated by Ruggia and nobody protected her when she was “asked to do things in the name of art”.

While the director denies any wrongdoing, he was sentenced to four years of house arrest, two of which were suspended. During this time, he will have to wear an electronic bracelet. He has also been ordered to pay €15,000 in compensation to Haenel, as well as €20,000 for the years of psychological therapy she received as a result of the abuse.

The Portrait of a Lady on Fire star was in the courtroom for the verdict, where her former partner and film director Céline Sciamma and actor Judith Godrèche were also present. Haenel was applauded by women’s rights activists as she left the building in Paris, which happened on several other occasions throughout the trial.

The 35-year-old has been a leading figure of the #MeToo movement in France and quit the film industry in 2023 in protest of “complacency” towards sexual predators.