Polanski to attend Paris retrospective despite protest

LONDON, Oct 30: Filmmaker Roman Polanski is planning to attend a retrospective of his life’s work in Paris in spite of planned protests.
French feminist organisation Osez le feminisme has organised a petition against Polanski’s appearance, and now plans a demonstration outside the Cinematheque Francaise, reported The Guardian.
The petition claimed Polanski’s appearance would be “indecent” and insulting to all the victims of sexual harassment mobilised by the recent #metoo online campaign.
“It’s an affront to all rape victims, and particularly Polanski’s victims. Polanski deserves dishonour, not honours,” the petition read.
The petition also questioned the timing of the Cinematheque honours in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandals.
Polanski has been living in Europe since fleeing the United States in the 1970s to avoid prosecution in the Samantha Geimer rape case. In January, he was asked to step down as host of the French equivalent of the Oscars, the Cesar awards, after 61,000 people signed a petition. (PTI)