The state of the French film academy is clearly in disarray, at least judging by the polarizing reaction that greeted “An Officer and a Spy” director Roman Polanski winning the Best Director prize at the 2020 César Awards in Paris on Friday. Ladj Ly’s Cannes competition title “Les Misérables,” which I called a Parisian “Training Day,” ultimately won Best Film.
Back to Polanski, his win clearly did not sit well with “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” star Adèle Haenel, who could be seen walking out of the ceremony when the award was announced. The Césars, the French equivalent of the Oscars, has been embroiled in outrage leading up to the ceremony these past few weeks, with certain people freaking out that the organization would give a convicted sexual abuser like Polanski recognition. Where was all the outrage in 2003 when Polanski won Best Director Oscar a and received a standing ovation? That’s a topic for a whole other write-up.
Leading the backlash in France was Haenel who expressed to The New York Times how repulsed she was by her peers’ recognition of Polanski “Distinguishing Polanski is spitting in the face of all victims. It means raping women isn’t that bad,” said the actress.
Polanski was a no-show at the ceremony this evening, neither was the cast or crew for “Officer and a Spy,” all of whom announced they boycott the ceremony earlier this week. No matter, the film still managed to win the Director, Adapted Screenplay (for Roman Polanski and Robert Harris) and Costume awards.
“Activists are threatening me with a public lynching. Some have called for demonstrations, others are planning to make it a platform,” Polanski told Agence France Presse this past Monday. “This promises to look more like a symposium than a celebration of cinema designed to reward its greatest talents.”
Women’s activist groups outside the César venue also protested Polanski.
Polanski, the 86-year-old director of such classics as “Chinatown” and “Rosemary’s Baby,” has been a fugitive of the law in the U.S. for the better part of 40 years now. Back in 1978, he fled to France instead of facing his sentence on a charge of statutory rape of 13-year-old Samantha Geimer, charges which he had pleaded guilty to. Geimer has been fairly open about forgiving Polanski for taking advantage of her and has even pleaded to the press to stop harassing him and let him live whatever years of his life are left.
Below you can see Adele Haenel’s clearly pre-staged walkout.