PARIS, March 21 — French actor Gerard Depardieu faces trial today over alleged sexual assaults of two women on a film set, a case placing one of the world’s best known movie stars at the heart of France’s broader reckoning over sexual violence.

A towering figure of French cinema, Depardieu has faced a growing number of sexual assault allegations in recent years. Depardieu, 76, has consistently denied any wrongdoing, and this would be the first case for which he would be standing trial.