Last year, film historian Joseph McBride told me that Roman Polanski, who turns 92 in August, was preparing to direct another film.
Sounds like things are finally revving up as Polanski is now confirming plans to shoot a film in Poland later this year. No further details were given, but he recently met with the Polish Ministry of Culture about the project.
Polanski’s last film, 2023’s “The Palace,” was overwhelmingly panned by critics and holds a 10% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It still hasn’t been released in the U.S, and probably never will.
“The Palace” faced a disastrous reception at Venice. Although Polanski himself was unable to attend due to extradition risks, the backlash to the film was fierce. Critics were especially harsh, and many speculated that this could be the filmmaker’s final effort, especially as it failed to land distribution deals in numerous key territories, including the U.S., U.K., and France.
Still, that assumption may have been premature. Despite the controversy and its limited marketability, European backing appears to remain an option for Polanski. It helps that he not only lives in Poland, but is still a highly regarded figure in that country.
It’s not like Polanski doesn’t have another great film left in him. In 2019, he premiered one of the best efforts of his career, “An Officer and A Spy,” which won the Grand Jury prize at Venice, garnered 12 Cesar nominations, and later won him the Best Director award. And yet, this great film, tackling the Dreyfuss affair, still hasn’t been released in the U.S.
Polanski has had a seven-decade career as a filmmaker, releasing such classics as “Rosemary’s Baby,” “Chinatown,” and “Repulsion.”