French courts have opened a rape investigation against 45-year-old French actor and film director Samuel Theis, who starred in the hit film Anatomy of a Fall, which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes last year.

The prosecutor's office in Metz, eastern France, confirmed that a preliminary investigation is underway following a criminal complaint filed in late July, which was followed by a civil lawsuit in November.

The alleged rape took place last summer during the filming of a film titled Je le jure ("I swear") starring Louise Bourgoin and Marina Fois and directed by Theis, according to cultural magazine Telerama.

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A 27-year-old technician said Theis forced him to have sex after a party with the film crew in an apartment rented by the production.

The young man claimed that he did not consent to that sexual act, and that he left the shoot a few days later.

Theis, 45, told AFP he had "consensual oral sex" with the plaintiff the morning after the party.

The production company opened an internal investigation when the technician sent Theis a text message in which he claimed to be the victim of a "sexual assault."

In a statement, Theis said the months-long investigation found "no conclusive evidence" or "any information that could point to misconduct."

Theis was, however, kept out of the crew for the remainder of the filming of "I Swear."

The director completed the filming remotely, giving instructions through intermediaries.

A source close to the case told AFP that the film's producers wanted to wrap filming at the same time, without ignoring the technician's allegations.

Theis has not yet been questioned by investigators and said he learned of the criminal complaint from the press, according to his statement.

"Anatomy of a Fall," directed by Justine Triet, just won two Golden Globes. The film tells the story of the trial of a woman accused of killing her husband, played by Theis.

  • cinema
  • Violence
  • Sexual Assaults