Adèle Haenel, an award winning actress has revealed that she was sexually abused as a young teeanager by the director of her first film.
Haenel who is now aged 30 was cas in her first film Les Diables (The Devils) at the age of 12 where she played an autistic orphan who sets out with her brother to find their parents.
The actress said she decided to speak out after watching Leaving Neverland Documentary, which explored Michael Jackson’s relationships with children.
She said that it changed her perspective in an interview with the Media parts news website.
“It made me see I had too long clung to the version of [film director] Christophe Ruggia, that it had all been a story of love… It made me understand the mechanisms of control and fascination,” she said.
Haenel said that she had travelled with Ruggia to promote the devils and later he is said to have invited her to his home
This is where he first touched and tried to kissher and told her of his love at a tender age of 15. She discloses to having got in to deep emotional crisis and sought help from Ruggia’s circle but only few showed pity.
The investigations of mediaparts had other 30 witnesses who said ruggia developed an obsession with the actress. Other actors and technicians on the set spoke of the unhealthy atmosphere.
The Society of French Films Directors in which Ruggia has served as co-president for several terms has dismissed him from its ranks.
Haenel has refused to file a judicial complaint saying that she does not trust the French Judicial system but on the basis of her published testimony the public prosecuter has opened investigations in to the matter.
Ruggia has denied the charges but admitted to having made errors in his behavior towards Haenel.
