Benoît Jacquot

Benoît Jacquot (born 5 February 1947) is a French film director and screenwriter who has had a varied career in European cinema.

In July 2024, Jacquot was charged with rape, including of a minor, and was barred from directing and having contact with minors.

Life and career
Born in Paris, Jacquot began his career as assistant director of Marguerite Duras films, including Nathalie Granger, India Song, and also actor in the 1973 short film La Sœur du cadre.

He turned to writing and directing with the 1975 film The Musician Killer, which starred Anna Karina.

He has directed over forty films, the most notable of which to American audiences are La Désenchantée (1990), starring Judith Godrèche, and A Single Girl (1995), starring Virginie Ledoyen.

In 2003, he directed Massenet's opera Werther conducted by Antonio Pappano at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

His film Farewell, My Queen opened the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival in February 2012. He also received the René Clair Award that year.

His 2014 film Three Hearts competed for the Golden Lion at the 71st Venice International Film Festival.

Sexual abuse allegations and criminal charges
In January 2024, Judith Godrèche accused Jacquot of grooming her when she was 14. Following the accusations made by Godrèche, several actresses came forward with allegations against Jacquot, including Julia Roy, Vahina Giocante and Isild Le Besco. In February 2024, Godrèche filed an official police complaint against Jacquot accusing him of "rapes with violence of a minor less than 15 years old".

On July 1, 2024, he was questioned along with Jacques Doillon over sexual abuse of Godrèche. The two directors would also be taken into custody by the Juvenile Protection Brigade. On July 3, 2024, Jacquot was charged with rape.

Prior to the charge, Jacquot was also placed under formal investigation for claims of raping and sexually assaulting Roy between 1998 and 2000 and Le Besco in 2013. Le Besco filed a complaint over alleged rape during her own relationship with Jacquot that also started when she was underage, while Roy accused Jacquot of sexually assaulting her in a "context of violence and moral constraint which lasted several years." Jacquot would be preliminarily charged with raping Roy and Le Basco. On July 4, 2024, the Paris prosecutor's office confirmed that the rape charges were now made official and also announced that Jacquot was charged with the rape of a minor, Le Besco, and would also be required to serve as a special witness in another case involving alleged rape of Le Besco, in this case by a partner over a 10-month span in 2007. He would be released from prison that day, but also ordered to undergo psychological treatment, and was barred from contacting his alleged victims and witnesses. Jacquot also cannot work either as a director or in any capacity with minors and was ordered to pay bail of 25,000 euros ($27,000). He also remains under judicial supervision.