French minister criticises Polanski’s induction into the jury of Cesars Awards

A news stating that infamous director Roman Polanski, who is convicted of statutory rape charges by a US court, has been inducted as the head of the Cesars Awards, the prestigious film award function equivalent to the Oscars in France, has been receiving mixed reactions, with the French minister of women rights criticising the French Academy of Cinema and Art, which runs the event, over the appointment of the award-winning director and the online petition seeking removal of the tainted director receiving less than fifty thousand votes.

Polanski, even though is a talented aesthete, is a wanted criminal in the United States. It is said that he fled the US ahead of his sentencing for statutory rape in 1978. Earlier, a petition seeking extradition of the director, who holds both Polish and French citizenship, was reportedly quashed by the top court of Poland. The unfortunate fact is that the organisers consider this appointment as a relevant one and praise the director. Meanwhile, several women organisers have called to boycott the award function, which is expected to take place in coming February. The prestigious Cesars award was first awarded in 1976. It was one of the most acclaimed film awards of the European continent. Last year’s award ceremony, the 41^st Cesars award, held on 26 February 2016, was a marvellous function. At this moment, it is not yet clear how much the controversial appoint will affect the upcoming event.

Vignesh

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