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
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Italian ballerina Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
