Roman Polanski’s ‘An Officer and a Spy’ Sparks Backlash From U.S. Theater Workers

It was unexpected earlier this year when New York City’s Film Forum revealed it would finally screen Roman Polanski’s An Officer and a Spy, more than six years after its Venice premiere.

So, it’s hardly shocking that the theater’s staff are now internally rebelling against the decision to bring the 2019 Venice Grand Jury Prize–winning film to U.S. audiences for the first time.

On Monday, Film Forum’s union publicly condemned the programming decision. In a statement on X, the union described the choice as “disturbing and disappointing,” arguing that the theater failed to adequately acknowledge the gravity of Polanski’s crimes.

This endorsement of Polanski’s allegorical project makes Film Forum complicit in the cultural amnesia that normalizes abuse and silences survivors,” the union wrote. “As workers and as film lovers, we rely on programmers to champion work that is culturally significant while upholding ethical responsibility […] No future programming decision should ever prioritize the work of sexual predators. Film Forum must take an unequivocal stance against sexual and sexist violence in the film industry.

The theater quietly announced in June that the film would run from August 8 through August 28, marking its American debut.

The film dramatizes the wrongful conviction of French Army Captain Alfred Dreyfus, played by Louis Garrel, who was punished for treason largely due to his Jewish identity, while Jean Dujardin portrays Georges Picquart, the officer who uncovers the truth. Despite its critical acclaim in Europe — including four European Film Award nominations and 12 César nods — “An Officer and a Spy” represents Polanski’s first U.S. theatrical release since 2017’s “Based on a True Story.”

Polanski has faced decades of controversy due to a 1977 case in which he pled guilty to unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl and fled the U.S. before sentencing. Though he continued making acclaimed films, including “The Pianist,” his legal case and flight from justice have led to ongoing boycotts and blacklisting in the #MeToo era.

Refusing to program “An Officer and a Spy” is a slippery slope. Should Polanski’s stone-cold classics, like “Rosemary’s Baby” or “Chinatown” also be shelved from repertory cinemas? Should we erase significant chapters of cinema history? Clearly not. Whether audiences like it or not, “An Officer and a Spy” has secured its place in film history—as a Venice Grand Jury Prize winner, a critically acclaimed drama, and arguably one of Polanski’s finest works.

American distributors have consistently passed on opportunities to screen “An Officer and a Spy” at industry markets, so credit to Film Forum for taking the risk and finally bringing Polanski’s remarkable work to audiences.