Cannes Film Festival 2025: Why is French Actor Theo Navarro-Mussy BANNED From This Year? Find Out

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Actor Theo Navarro-Mussy, hailing from France, has been prohibited from attending the premiere of Dossier 137 on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival due to grave allegations of sexual misconduct, including rape and assault. This move was taken in consensus by the festival authorities and the film’s production team.

Actor Navarro-Mussy, who has a secondary role in Dossier 137, will not attend the Palais theater screening scheduled for Thursday evening. According to French magazine Télérama, he is currently dealing with accusations from three ex-partners about incidents of sexual assault and physical abuse, which allegedly occurred in 2018, 2019, and 2020.

Caroline Benjo and Carole Scotta, producers from Haut et Court who made the political drama, stated that the allegations were raised before the movie’s filming began.

In a statement, it was mentioned that since the alleged incidents primarily happened before the movie’s creation, we mutually agreed with the festival organizers that the individual involved would not attend Cannes alongside the film. This decision was made to honor the plaintiffs and respect the testimonies of the victims, while maintaining the presumption of innocence for the accused.

They stated that the organizers of the Cannes Film Festival had explicitly declared they would not bring attention to individuals under suspicion for sexual misconduct or violence. Furthermore, it was emphasized that these issues hold significant importance for Haut et Court, making their decision a logical one, as well as for director Dominik Moll, whose views on such matters have always been transparent.

As reported by AFP, it appears that Cannes has barred an actor for the first time, following accusations of sexual misconduct. This action is being taken under revised guidelines implemented by the festival’s management to ensure safety and responsibility within the movie industry.

This year, Thierry Frémaux, head of the festival, mentioned to Variety that a fresh provision has been incorporated into the submission guidelines. This stipulates that every film chosen for the official selection should uphold the well-being, integrity, and dignity of all involved, while also fulfilling legal requirements.

137 Dossier, helmed by Dominik Moll who won the César Award, is among the films vying for recognition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The narrative unfolds amidst the turmoil of the yellow vest protests in France. The protagonist, Stéphanie, portrayed by Léa Drucker, is a detective tasked with determining who caused a young demonstrator to be hit by a flash-ball projectile. Alongside Drucker, the film features Jonathan Turnbull, Mathilde Roehrich, Guslagie Malanda, and Stanislas Merhar in significant roles.

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2025-05-15 14:53