Roman Polanski is not going to César Awards

Roman Polanski will not go to the César Awards on Friday, the director reports to the AFP news agency. Polanski’s film ‘J’accuse’ has been nominated for twelve prizes at the French equivalent of the Oscars, including the best film and best director category.

Several feminist organizations protested against the nominations for the director. They called last month not to vote for Polanski, who was convicted of having sex with a minor. “If rape is an art form, give Polanski all Césars,” was the title of the open letter that was published in the French newspaper Le Parisien.

The 86-year-old director was sentenced in 1978 in the United States for sex with a 13-year-old girl. Polanski fled the country and has been making films from Europe ever since. Last November he was again accused of rape, this time by the French actress Valentine Monnier. Several groups subsequently campaigned against the cinema release of his film J’accuse.