Cannes Film Festival Removes Actor From "Dossier 137" Due to Sexual Assault Allegations

French actor Théo Navarro-Mussy, who plays a supporting role, has been the subject of a complaint by three former partners for "rape, physical and psychological violence."

It's a first. The Cannes Film Festival has banned an actor from presenting Dominik Moll's film Dossier 137 due to accusations of sexual violence, the festival told AFP on Wednesday, May 14, confirming information from Télérama . French actor Théo Navarro-Mussy, who plays a supporting role, was supposed to walk the red carpet Thursday alongside the crew, but festival general delegate Thierry Frémaux decided, even before the opening on Tuesday, in an unprecedented move and in agreement with the film's production, to exclude him, the cultural magazine reported on its website.

On the legal front and according to Télérama , the actor was the target of a complaint from three former partners for "rape, physical and moral violence", in the private sphere, "in 2018, 2019 and 2020" , at least four years before filming. This complaint was dismissed in April 2025 for "insufficiently characterized offense" but "the three plaintiffs indicated their intention to file an appeal by constituting themselves as civil parties" , affirms Télérama .

Contacted by the magazine, the actor recalled that the courts have, "at this stage, cleared him of any wrongdoing." "I have received no information that any proceedings are continuing. This proposed complaint with civil action has not been legally recorded to my knowledge," commented the actor's lawyer, Marion Pouzet-Gagliardi.

The general delegate of the Cannes Film Festival, to whom the case was brought up by the Actors' Association, justified his decision by the fact that "the procedure remains ongoing." "It is because there is an appeal, and therefore a continuation of the investigation, that the case is not suspensive. When justice is finally done, it becomes different," he explains in Télérama . The Festival also announced that it is awaiting additional information concerning another film personality who is the subject of a report.