a host of actors have signed petitions on his behalf . Absolutely despicable by each and every one of these people who signed this petition. That is even ignoring the evidence that his victim gave to the grand jury that he got her alone under the pretense of taking her photo (for Vanity Fair I think), gave her alcohol and drugs and when she said no to him even after all that he went ahead and raped her orally, vaginally and anally. Admitted to the crime and fled the country. Those people dont want justice or protection of children. Everytime you pop in Rosemarys baby or Chinatown think about how YOU helped commit the rape of a 13 year old girl. But mainly I heard people insist their friend is not a rapist. I certainly wouldnt allow any of you to get near my daughter. Jarre, actually, he pretty much did admit to raping her. I then contact 25 actors who have worked with Polanski since his arrest, including Sigourney Weaver, Ben Kingsley, Christoph Waltz, Kate Winslet, Kim Cattrall, Pierce Brosnan and Jodie Foster. Jonathan Demme In perfect French she lauded the Franco-American friendship and recommended the development of cultural relations between our two countries. What purpose does it serve to lock up Mr. Polanski when the prison space could be used to protect the public from violent offenders? Polanskis own attitude has remained bullish; in October last year he gave an interview in which he focused his ire on the judges who let him down. Classic movies. Yasmina Reza Two said to me that it was a special situation because the girl had been up for it (this was a common theory at the time. This man drugged and raped a thirteen (13) year old girl. But apparently, you artists arent supposed to be subjected to the rules and expectations we mere mortals face. But I was, it turned out, grossly out of step with the times. I know that before today, when Roman Polanski had only pleaded guilty to raping that 13-year-old girl in 1979, and been accused of raping that 16-year-old girl in 1986, it was like, Big deal . Also to send out the right signal to society. Socit des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques (SACD), Les Misrables Trailer: Anne Hathaway Show-Stopper, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley Transformers Casting Drama, Palme dOr Winners: From Vienna Thriller to Lesbian Sex + Romance, Catherine Deneuve: Csar Award Record-Tier, Ken Loach Turns Down Turin Film Festival Award. Because you know, rapists are never charming, are they? In 2008, film-maker Marina Zenovich caught the mood and pushed it further with her documentary, the queasily titled Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired, which argued that Polanski was the victim of gross judicial misconduct during his case. Henning Carlsen Sigourney Weaver, Harrison Ford, Johnny Depp, Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Kate Winslet and many more have appeared in Polanski movies in the decades since his conviction, and questions about why they were working with a convicted child rapist were seen as tacky, proof of a rigid mind more focused on gossip than art. The actresswho spoke at the Womens March in January and has been a vocal supporter of the Times Up campaign to end sexual violence and abuseexpressed contrition to Buzzfeed over her former views. We have learned the astonishing news of Roman Polanski's arrest by the Swiss police on September 26th, upon arrival in Zurich (Switzerland) while on his way to a film festival where he was due to receive an award for his career in filmmaking. children. Nelly Kaplan I mean, he IS a priest in the Catholic church is he not? We werent saying much now, Polanski writes. The following is the SACD petition, followed by a list of names of people who had signed it as of tonight. Now if the guy was a Duke Lacrosse player the hollywierd crowd and hordes of valueless eurotrash signing their soulsas if they have them away on these tacky petitionsnow that would get them riled up. Rittenband was thought to be considering sentencing him to 50 years in prison, which was when Polanski fled. In 2018, Argento apologised and expressed regret for signing the petition. I am sure his methods may have changed but sex offenders rarely offend just once. - Members of the European Producers Club Much emphasis is made in the movie about how Polanskis celebrity hurt him during the trial, which is true. Martin Scorsese and Woody Allen want Roman Polanski released from a Swiss Jail. I have too much to say to put it in a short comment - but I have posted on this issue on my personal blog : But it seems to me that Hollywood must be a very dangerous place for a child these days as so many of its big names appear to endorse paedophilic activity. It is also irrelevant if her mother was trying to vicariously enjoy a brush with stardom. She was 18. Ask any rape victim and we will tell you that we would give anything if the rapist had been prosecuted and locked up forever before we were victimized by them! Sigourney Weaver with Polanski at the 2008 Marrakech film festival. If you knew any feminists, youd know that most, if not all, are on your side in this particular case (although probably for very different reasons). Even the girl now a woman who accused Polanski of rape says the case should be dropped. Unfortunately, your misogynist ramblings likely lead most women (people) to avoid you, so you wouldnt know. thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0928091polanskiplea1.html. Ren Gainville We have a duty to protect the innocence of children. Despite the ongoing campaign to highlight abuse and misconduct in the film business and other industries, Polanski remains venerated in Hollywood as one of the leading auteurs of his generation. In the same interview, Portman said she "felt terrible" about accusations of whitewashing(Opens in a new tab) in her upcoming film Annihilation. Marco Bellochio Protecting one of its own, even one who has openly admitted to carrying out such despicable acts. He then had sex with her, drove her home and, the next day, was arrested. It will be much wiser, less obstinate and more generous to leave this exceptional man alone. High recidivism cant be an excuse to keep these people locked up, all victims will come forward if it happens again, and we dont need to pay any heed Kinskis real birth certificate. Emma, why did you sign a petition to help Polanski? The above people think its OK to rape children if you make good films. Shocking what your statement implies. Celebs Who Have Defended Roman Polanski Publically - IMDb Woody Allen, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Martin Scorcese, David Lynch, Wong Kar Wai, Harmony Korine, Stephen Frears . By trying to send Roman Polanski to the lions despite all the legal arguments, is something that unfortunately gets and will get more and more out of proportion. Who gives a shit? (Also, Woody Allen, but who's surprised there?) But this is the most important part YM: Accusing the judge of things and the girl of things and feminists and lactose intolerant people and etc. "It should just be that everyone can empathize with everyone. Roman Polanski at a court appearance in Los Angeles in 1977. What does Hollywood's reverence for child rapist Roman Polanski tell us Probably not but I will feel good about myself. In 2016, when promoting recent film Julieta, Almodovar criticized the limited parts conventionally written for women. An Open Letter to All Those Celebrities Who Signed the Roman Polanski Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Should this even be up for discussion? - Le Syndicat National des Techniciens de la Production Cinmatographique et de Tlvision (National Union of Film and Television Technicians) My eyes were not open.. Dominique Crevecoeur Polanski petition signatories, as of September 29th: Fatih Akin Olivier Assayas The petition, made public in September 2009, demanded "the immediate release of Roman Polanski" after the Rosemary's Baby filmmaker was detained days earlier in Switzerland on a warrant for. Oscars 2023: Best Picture Predictions Why, however, any of you think that this somehow excuses the fact that the man drugged and raped a child is beyond me. He should be brought to justice. I hope the tide is finally turning.. Great.. If he was some crack head living in harlem and raped a girl would the same supporters come to the rescue? Those of you who think this is the same as rape should watch Oleanna. Polanski has not served his time and now he is guilty of evading justice. Roman was charged with sex with minor, not real rape. Nicolas Mauvernay But stop with the pathetic kowtowing to a predator, please. Costa Gavras I am deeply saddened to see so many of my cinematic heroes supporting Polanski. Really, you are worse than the most rabid of Polanskis detractors. I start by emailing Zenovich to ask if she feels attitudes towards Polanski have changed since she made her movie and its follow-up, Roman Polanski: Odd Man Out, about the Zurich arrest. After Roman Polanski 's 2009 arrest in Switzerland for the 1977 rape of a 13-year-old girl, more than 100 actors and directors united to release a petition urging for his . I have read the facts and testimonies of the case. Paul Boujenah Its war neutrality does not preclude it from signing a necessary extradition treaty with another country. Fanny Ardant Darren Aronofsky Actually Polanski never admitted to raping anyone. Once again, shame on all who signed this petition and feel Polanski shouldnt be punished! As to the victim wanting to drop the case, it is because she is tired of all the publicity her family gets every time Polanski whines about not being able to go to a certain country to film. I do along with those who loves Trying to understand why Hollywood defends Polanski. : r/movies - reddit He would just be more careful.There are men who go unrevealed for years, even die before anyone finds out about them and here you have a man who was exposed and you support him?Yes he should be free to continue to do what he likes. I dont know what the rationals might be for those who seek his pardoning, be it moral ambiguity, sycophancy, going along with what they see as hip or simply the belief that the group they belong to is somehow superior and has a right to use common people for their own amusement, but it would be a mistake to give the law a pass to accommodate this utterly reprehensible man. If Polanski had attended his sentencing hearing instead of fleeing the country, the whole thing would have been over after hed served his time. Jean-Charles Tacchella Broadly reached out to Cruz to ask if she regrets supporting Polanski, but she declined to reply by the time of publication. As much as I've been repulsed by Polanski's 1977 rape of a 13-year-old girl, I've been absolutely flabbergasted and offended by the list of Hollywood elites and celebrities who have recently signed a petition demanding his release. Accept Read More. Actually, the film Wanted and Desired has notable inaccuracies and neglects to include the grand jury testimony which is readily available to the public. And yet only a decade and a half earlier, Streep had stood and applauded when Polanski won best director at the 2003 Oscars, not so much tacitly approving rape as explicitly celebrating a convicted child rapist. Debra Winger described Polanskis arrest in Switzerland in 2009 as a philistine collusion. $17.99 + $4.99 shipping. Andr Larqui I too have loved many of his films, and consider him a great artist - but that doesnt excuse his crime. Its neutrality applies in times of war and peace, not in the application of treaty and criminal laws. The active paedophile is stealing childhoods. Franois Margolin Backlash builds against support of Polanski - CNN.com The case is not a case of morals. By their extraterritorial nature, film festivals the world over have always permitted works to be shown and for filmmakers to present them freely and safely, even when certain States opposed this. We worship/ed those artists just as they worship Polanski. Personally, I can live with a Hugh Grant who got a blow-job from a prostitute. But, in truth, for many British and US actors, working with Polanski never lost its cachet, and arguably had even more once he became excluded from the US mainstream.