The following entertainment types are just shocked, shocked, absolutely dismayed that the state of California, with the complicity of Switzerland, disrupted the holy sanctity of a film festival--"an international cultural event"--by arresting movie director Roman Polanski for fleeing the United States after pleading guilty to drugging and raping a 13 year old over 30 years ago.
Ancient history in the entertainment world. Apparently the real victim was not the 13 year old but Polanski who accomplished so much over the past three decades despite not being able to travel to the United States to make his movies.
These shocked 100, maybe more by now, signed a self righteous petition protesting the "astonishing news" of Polanski's arrest. So shocked were they, that they confused the reason for his arrest as a mere matter of free speech. Because superior filmmakers can ignore common morality laws designed for mere mortals and do as they please.
Filmmakers in France, in Europe, in the United States and around the world are dismayed by this decision. It seems inadmissible to them that an international cultural event, paying homage to one of the greatest contemporary filmmakers, is used by the police to apprehend him.
By their extraterritorial nature, film festivals the world over have always permitted works to be shown and for filmmakers to present them freely and safely, even when certain States opposed this.
The arrest of Roman Polanski in a neutral country, where he assumed he could travel without hindrance, undermines this tradition: it opens the way for actions of which no one can know the effects.
Roman Polanski is a French citizen, a renown and international artist now facing extradition. This extradition, if it takes place, will be heavy in consequences and will take away his freedom. (snip)
On September 16th, 2009, Mr. Charles Rivkin, the US Ambassador to France, received French artists and intellectuals at the embassy. He presented to them the new Minister Counselor for Public Affairs at the embassy, Ms Judith Baroody. In perfect French she lauded the Franco-American friendship and recommended the development of cultural relations between our two countries.
If only in the name of this friendship between our two countries, we demand the immediate release of Roman Polanski.
After all, what has the 13 year old victim accomplished in the past 30 years?
And Polanski is sure to win an Academy Award for his martyrdom.
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