Overview
- The Cour d'appel de Versailles acquitted Dominique Boutonnat of sexual assault charges on Friday, July 3, 2026, saying his guilt was not established because of numerous contradictions in the plaintiff’s statements.
- Boutonnat had been convicted in June 2024 by the Tribunal judiciaire de Nanterre and sentenced to one year in prison, a verdict that prompted his resignation as head of the Centre national du cinéma (CNC).
- At the appeal hearing Boutonnat acknowledged taking nude photos and giving kisses but denied any non‑consensual sexual assault, while the public prosecutor had sought three years in prison, including one year firm.
- Boutonnat attended the verdict and his lawyers welcomed the acquittal in a statement, the plaintiff was absent from the deliberation, and the plaintiff’s lawyer declined to comment.
- The case closes a six‑year criminal procedure that will revive debate about how courts assess witness contradictions, the burden of proof in sexual‑assault trials, and the reputational consequences for leaders of cultural institutions.