Paul Haggis, an Oscar-winning film director from Canada, has been in the news amid allegations of aggravated sexual assault against him. The victim, a “young foreign woman”, was reportedly raped for a period of two days in Ostuni, southern Italy, and was said to be in “precarious physical and psychological conditions”.

Antonio Negro and Livia Orlando, the prosecuters involved in the case, stated that the woman was “forced to seek medical care” after the traumatic incident. 

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Career

Raised a Catholic, Haggis studied cinematography at Fanshawe College in Canada. His relocation to Los Angeles, California marked his entry into the entertainment industry as a director. Best known for his role as screenwriter and producer for Million Dollar Baby (2004) and Crash (2005), the films went on to win the Oscar for Best Picture.

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He was also a member of the Church of Scientology until he left in 2009, later commenting on his exit, calling it a “cult”. He also accused the Church of Scientology of leaking members’ personal details in an attempt to disgrace them, and elaborated on their policy of “disconnection”.

The accusations against Haggis on June 19, 2022, aren’t the first of their kind, as  publicist Haleigh Breest filed a lawsuit against Haggis in December 2017, accusing him of rape. This was accompanied by the stories of three other women, who came forward in January 2018 after Breest’s lawsuit.

Haggis has denied all allegations, even going to the extent of claiming that Breest’s lawsuit was “extortion”, filing a countersuit against her.

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