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Luc Besson: French film director denies rape allegation | Luc Besson: French film director denies rape allegation |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Luc Besson, one of France's best-known film directors, has denied raping or drugging a young actress. | Luc Besson, one of France's best-known film directors, has denied raping or drugging a young actress. |
Dutch-Belgian actress Sand Van Roy accused Mr Besson of repeatedly raping her over a two-year period. | |
An investigating judge reopened the case last week, eight months after prosecutors dropped it, following a new complaint by Ms Van Roy. | |
Mr Besson dismissed her as a "fantasist", although he admitted having had a relationship with her. | |
Speaking publicly about the claim for the first time on Tuesday, he told BMFTV that it was a "complete and utter lie". He added: "I have never raped a woman in my life." | |
Ms Van Roy accused Mr Besson of raping her at a hotel in Paris in May 2018. But the original investigation ended when Paris prosecutors said there was not enough evidence. | Ms Van Roy accused Mr Besson of raping her at a hotel in Paris in May 2018. But the original investigation ended when Paris prosecutors said there was not enough evidence. |
Eight other women have spoken to the French investigative news website Mediapart and accused the director of sexual misconduct. | |
There are few details about those claims. The statute of limitation on some of them has been reached, the website said. | |
Besson, 60, a director, producer and screenwriter, is most famous for directing the 1988 film The Big Blue, as well as Subway, Leon, The Fifth Element and action thriller Nikita. | Besson, 60, a director, producer and screenwriter, is most famous for directing the 1988 film The Big Blue, as well as Subway, Leon, The Fifth Element and action thriller Nikita. |
He recently directed the action thriller Anna, starring Sasha Luss and Helen Mirren. | He recently directed the action thriller Anna, starring Sasha Luss and Helen Mirren. |
Ms Van Roy, 28, played minor roles in two of his films, Taxi 5 and Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. | Ms Van Roy, 28, played minor roles in two of his films, Taxi 5 and Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. |