Roman Polanski returns to Zurich for his lifetime award

Roman Polanski has received a lifetime achievement award at the Zurich Film Festival, two years after his arrest in the city on sex charges.

Polanski received a standing ovation before telling the audience: “What I can say? Better late than never.”

He had been on his way to receive the award in 2009 when Swiss police arrested him over a 1977 US conviction for having sex with a 13-year-old girl. He spent months in prison and house arrest but avoided extradition.

The 78-year-old Polish-French director, whose work includes Rosemary’s Baby and Tess, is now able to travel unhindered to Switzerland.

“It’s a strange anniversary for me, two years, day for day,” he said after receiving the award. “Certain parts of it I’d rather forget, but I’m happy to be here. It is a very moving moment for me so do not expect any speeches.”

via BBC News

Gramilano( Editor )

Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano’) about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.

His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia’ column for Dancing Times magazine.