France closes rape case against Luc Besson
Closed the case on charges of rape against the director and founder of the film studio EuropaCorp Luc Besson – the author of the films “The Fifth Element”, “Leon”, “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets”. The lawsuit filed by 31-year-old actress Sand Van Roy in May 2018 was dismissed by a judicial investigator, writes Mediapart. In the near future, the artist's side will be able to appeal this decision.
Van Roy's lawyer said they were “amazed” at the court's actions. He also stressed that the investigator did not conduct a conversation with his client, ignored the confrontation and did not listen to key witnesses.
According to Van Roy's accusations, in May 2018, Besson invited her to drink coffee, while the drink, in her opinion, contained a narcotic substance, using which she felt unwell and fainted. When she woke up, the actress realized that she had been raped. However, a toxicological blood test taken later from the woman showed a negative result.
It is known that for some time she had a romantic relationship with Besson. But, according to Van Roy, the director forced her into intimacy, using his influence in the professional field. The director's lawyer assured that “these bizarre accusations” are an absolute lie.
In January 2021, a closed hearing was held in the high-profile case, in which only the investigating judge, filmmaker and his lawyer Thierry Marambert took part. Even then, Besson, after five hours of the hearing, left the courthouse in the status of a “witness who received help.” According to French law, a witness with this status is a person who is not being officially investigated or charged, but who may still be involved in a crime.
“This hearing in Paris is part of an ongoing trial that began with an investigation by the police and the prosecutor. As a result, it was established that no criminal acts had been committed, ”Michael Kamp, a lawyer for EuropaCorp in the United States, told Deadline at the time. “Besson continues to cooperate with the authorities, completely denies all charges against him and hopes to clear his name.”
Van Roy's lawsuit against Besson has been rejected for the second time: for the first time, the French prosecutor's office did this in early 2019 due to a lack of evidence. The investigation was later reopened.
Following Wand Roy, his ex-casting director also announced Besson's sexual harassment. A few months later, five more women reported being abused by the filmmaker.
Sand Van Roy is a former model and actress. She began her acting career in 2014 and has appeared in 14 short and feature films. Van Roy also starred in cameo roles in the films Taxi 5 and Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.
Besson is one of the most successful French directors of our time. His most famous works are the films Leon, The Fifth Element, The Blue Abyss, Nikita and Underground.
