Bruised by the controversy, Roman Polanski waives the right to preside over the César – Le Figaro

“Deeply saddened”, the filmmaker, who was prosecuted for rape in the United States since 1977, has decided not to respond to the invitation of the Academy of the Arts and Techniques of cinema.

“He is very bruised,” says the general delegate of the Cannes film Festival Thierry Frémaux who had spoken to him on the phone and reported this morning on RTL. In the Face of the controversy that still rages on, Roman Polanski preferred to forgo chairing the next February 24 the 42nd ceremony of Caesar. The director of the Pianist “has decided not to respond to the invitation of the organizers, said the release of his lawyer. This controversy that the director of the franco-Polish judge “unjustified”, adds the text, was “deeply saddened and reached let his family”.

The choice of the Académie des César, last week, the director of the 83-year-old, accused of rape in 1977 in the United States, caused an uproar on social networks calling for a boycott of the elections and to women’s associations. Even the minister of Women’s Rights Laurence Rossignol had protested.

To further add to the pressure, the feminist movement had planned a gathering Wednesday morning in front of the Fouquet’s, a few hours before the official announcement of the appointments of Caesar, to “restate their anger” and “call the guest(s)of the ceremony to boycott the evening”. “The goal is to denounce the choice of the Académie des César and wake up as the profession”, said Alice Coffin, coordinator of the event and a member of the feminist group La Barbe.

The Academy of Caesar, presided over by Alain Terzian (that we have tried to respond several times, has kept silent until now. She will have to appoint a replacement to Roman Polanski. The minister of Culture Audrey Azoulay did not criticize their choice. “The facts in this case are particularly serious. But they are also very old”, she had noticed, without getting wet. And add always with the same caution: “This case will continue to pursue Roman Polanski all his life. Nevertheless, it remains a filmmaker of great talent.” Even the sound of a bell with the former minister of the rue de Valois: Aurélie Filippetti had wanted to “leave Roman Polanski to preside over this ceremony”. This has earned her many critics on the social networks.

In the middle of the cinema, few voices were raised in defense of the director of Tess, as Gilles Lellouche, François berléand with his or Jean-Pierre Mocky. Roman Polanski, at the time aged 43 years, was continued in 1977 in California for the rape of a 13 year old girl. Released on bail after 42 days in prison, the filmmaker who had pleaded guilty to “unlawful sexual intercourse” with a minor but denied the rape, had fled the United States before the verdict, fearing that they would be heavily sentenced. Considered since then as a “fugitive” by the United States, he always runs the risk of being extradited, despite interventions in his favour of the victim, who has repeatedly called for the definitive abandonment of the prosecution and told him to have forgiven.

In December, the supreme Court Polish has put an end to an extradition process started in 2014 at the request of the american justice. For 40 years, this business continues to come up. She had been the subject of a veiled reference to Laurent Lafitte in his speech in the opening ceremony of the last Festival de Cannes, arousing the wrath of the wife of Roman Polanski, Emmanuelle Seigner.