Overview

• An Italian judge in Brindisi dismissed rape charges against Oscar-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis, concluding no sexual act occurred without consent.
• Haggis was detained in June 2022 after a British woman accused him of rape during a film event in Ostuni, Puglia, and spent 14 days under house arrest.
• The investigation cited inconsistencies in the accuser's account and evidence from witnesses and messages, supporting Haggis' claim of a consensual relationship.
• In November 2022, a New York civil jury found Haggis liable for a separate rape allegation, ordering him to pay $10 million in damages.
• Haggis plans to address the Italian ruling in a press conference, though his legal challenges in the U.S. remain ongoing.