A behavior “Latin and unfortunate”. This is how Bruno Barde, current director of the Deauville American Film Festival, justified the sexual harassment and violence of which he is accused by seven former collaborators of the columns of MediapartWednesday 12 June.
Master of the seventh art and openly hostile to the MeToo movement, the 67-year-old is also a member of the Gérardmer International Fantastic Film Festival, the Beaune Police Film Festival, the Académie des César, as well as running an influential industry press relations firm, Le Public System Cinema.
Sexual harassment and assault
Our nuns therefore collected the testimonies of seven collaborators who accuse him “inappropriate behavior, humiliation and sexual violence” between 2014 and 2023.
One of them, Émilie, says she was 27 when Bruno Barde has it stuck against a railing » during a party at the Cannes Film Festival, before reaching under her shirt to grab her back. Another night of the festival, her boss would insist on it becoming “take a bath” to his hotel room to relax her, even offering to massage her. Not accepting his refusal, Bruno Barde would have insisted via SMS.
The young woman also recounts another scene, which presumably occurred during the screening of Parasitein an adjacent room. “I was sitting on a table, he took the opportunity to get between my legs, from the front, and grab my thighs. ».
In addition to Emilia, Mediapart collected the words of "three other former collaborators of Bruno Barde who recount facts that resemble sexual violence, between 2014 and 2016. Facts that would have occurred mainly when they were alone with him in his office, in a cinema or even in an elevator." For example, Alexia was 23 years old when Bruno Barde allegedly attempted to forcibly kiss her. Since she had then rejected his advances, the young woman would then have suffered the wrath of her boss who would have made her pay daily for her refusal, insulting her publicly.
Four other women also report “Acts of sexual harassment or sexist expressions between 2016 and 2022”. Inappropriate comments about their breasts, sexual innuendos, misogynistic insults... the list of accusations is long.
In a press release issued on Wednesday evening, the Hopscotch group, owner of the Public Système Cinéma agency, announced that it had “asked Bruno Barde to withdraw from the agency's management”. He will therefore not preside over the 50th edition of the Deauville International Festival, which will be held at the beginning of the school year.
Listen to Apéro des Daronnes, Madmoizelle's show that aims to break down taboos on parenting.
Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
