The past few days are excellent examples of the power women have when they organize. Only three days after the Women’s March, Roman Polanski announced he would not serve as President of the César Awards after all, amid protests from French feminist groups.
According to Deadline, Polanski’s lawyer told Agence France Presse that the director had “renounced the position,” while still maintaining that the public outcry was “unjustified.” The source also noted there has been no public reaction yet from the Académie des Arts et Techniques, the organization that oversees the awards, or Osez Le Feminisme, the feminist group that mobilized the movement against Polanski.
For those new to the story: Polanski, who has been avoiding U.S. sentencing and extradition ever since pleading guilty to statutory rape in 1977, was originally slated to serve as President of the prestigious French awards. This drew protests from Osez Le Feminisme and other women’s groups, as well as an online petition. Osez Le Feminisme, who called Polanski “an author of sexual violence who remains unpunished, protected by his celebrity status,” was also organizing a demonstration at the awards venue.
Although this appears to be a victory for France’s feminist groups, there are many public figures that continue to publicly back Polanski. Others consider the “largely honorary” title of President insignificant, not enough to draw such public ire. And many of Polanski’s peers simply reiterate that the past is the past.
“The case was settled with the girl. Roman has paid a great deal… We are creating a controversy around a father who honors our cinema,” director Alexandre Arcady told Le Parisien.
Alain Rocca, who serves on the committee that selected Polanski as president, told Le Monde that he did not know why there was such a “torrent of indignation.”
Further, according to the filmmaker’s attorney, Polanski himself is “deeply saddened” by the whole affair and how it has “affected his family.”
The fact that Polanski’s allies focus on him in these statements — without mentioning the actual crime — just cements why feminist voices and action are necessary. Yes, Polanski is a father and talented artist, and his family is surely uncomfortable with his past. But what does that have to do with anything? His personal life and family does not preclude his criminal history and refusal to accept punishment.
Polanski’s status as beloved director should not wipe away any and all misdeeds.
To respond to Polanski’s concerns about this supposed witch hunt, the only part of this ordeal that is “unjustified” is that the press is only concerned about how it affects him. Not rape survivors, not young women coming of age in a society that condones sexual assault — as long as it’s committed by a film director.
