Director Roman Polanski picked up the Best Director honor at France’s Cesar Awards last night for his new film An Officer And A Spy. His win was met with protests immediately as some angry fans outside the venue held up signs demanding justice and more than a handful of celebrities at the ceremony got up and walked out including popular actress Adele Haenel, who has said she was sexually abused by a director between the ages of 12 and 15.

You can watch footage of the incident below. It picks up moments after Polanski’s win (he was not in attendance) and can be seen courtesy of Canal+…

Roman Polanski is probably best known to American audiences as the director of Rosemary’s Baby, Chinatown and The Pianist, as well as the Sharon Tate’s husband when she was murdered by the Manson Family in 1969. He pled guilty to having sex with a 13-year-old girl in the United States in 1977, but he fled for Europe prior to sentencing and has been considered a fugitive since. He’s continued making movies to various degrees of success in the ensuing decades.

As the MeToo movement has pushed sex crimes to the forefront of public conversation, the controversy surrounding him has gotten louder and louder. He was expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2018. After An Officer And A Spy picked up 12 Cesar nominations, many in France started pushing to reform how voting is done and even who is eligible to vote. The outcry ultimately resulted in the entire Board Of Directors for the Cesars resigning in mid-February, and even the Minister of Culture in France issued a statement, per CNN, saying a Polanski win for directing would send a negative message but that voters should separate the art and the artist in other categories like Best Film since so many people worked on the movie.

In a statement prior to the ceremony, Polanski said he would not attend because activists were threatening him with “a public lynching.” Following his win, several famous actresses in the French community came to his defense including Brigitte Bardot and Franny Ardant, the latter of whom said, among other things, “Long live freedom.” Many inside the ceremony, however, did not share those sentiments including host Florence Foresti who reportedly took several shots at the movie while on stage and even told the audience not to applaud for it. She later posted an Instagram Story that just said “Disgusting”.

It’s unclear what long-term ramifications the Cesar Awards might have for the French Film community. It’s likely we’ll continue to see a push toward a more inclusive base of voters, which will likely affect the type of films that get nominated.

Recent ReelBlend guest Quentin Tarantino is no stranger to interweaving fictionalized stories with real historical events. The director famously used that format in the expertly made and frustratingly spelled Inglourious Basterds. Now he’s back with the similarly structured Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. The movie is absolutely wonderful, and while you don’t need an encyclopedia of old Hollywood to follow the plot, some knowledge does help.

It would take far too long to go over every single real person or place referenced in the movie; so, let’s just focus on the really important ones with a major effect on the plot. Here are the true stories behind some of the more important references in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood…

George Spahn And Spahn Ranch

Spahn Ranch was a 55-acre property in Los Angeles County purchased in 1953 by George Spahn. During the height of the popularity of Westerns in Hollywood, the owner built a film set amidst the mountainous terrain, and numerous movies and television shows picked it as a filming location. As other genres began to overtake the Western, the business gradually died off and Spahn focused more on horse rentals.

During the late 1960s, Spahn, who was by this point blind, met Charles Manson and agreed to allow the cult leader and his followers to stay at the ranch in exchange for manual labor performed around the farm and help running the horse rental business. The Manson Family resided at the ranch for most of 1968 and 1969, and Spahn developed a pretty close relationship with numerous members of the cult. He allegedly had a sexual relationship with some of Manson’s female followers and is credited with nicknaming both Tex Watson, who participated in the Tate-LaBianca murders and Squeaky Fromme, who later tried to assassinate US President Gerald Ford. Spahn Ranch burned down in 1970 and Spahn himself died in 1974.

Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee’s connection to Sharon Tate has mostly faded away as the years have passed, but there is actually even more there than Once Upon A Time In Hollywood lets on. First, many credit Tate’s ex-boyfriend and fellow Manson family victim Jay Sebring with helping Lee get his start in Hollywood. The hairstylist to the stars was at a karate tournament in 1964 and was impressed by Lee’s skills. Later, a producer mentioned wanting to cast an Asian actor who could fight in an action role. Sebring recommended Bruce Lee, who later went in for a screentest, which eventually led to his breakout role in The Green Hornet.

Over the next several years, Lee taught numerous Hollywood celebrities how to fight in preparation for movie roles including Sharon Tate. He also became buddies with Roman Polanski and they even went on vacation together. Unfortunately, following Tate’s murder, Polanski allegedly suspected Lee for a time, partly because the actor lost his glasses around the same time an unknown pair of glasses was found following the murder. Lee tragically died just a few years after Tate’s murder at the age of 32.

10050 Cielo Drive

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood includes a scene in which Charles Manson approaches Sharon Tate’s home and asks for Terry. The Terry in question was Terry Melcher. A music producer who worked with The Byrds, The Beach Boys and many others, he was the son of Doris Day and considered both recording an album and making a documentary about the Manson Family. The project eventually fell through and Melcher, along with Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson who was very close to Manson for a time, both decided to end their friendships with the unpredictable cult later. Melcher also moved out of his home at 10050 Cielo Drive, and the owner soon rented the property to Sharon Tate and husband Roman Polanski.

At the time of the murders, there was much speculation that Manson had actually sent his followers to the Cielo Drive home in order to kill Melcher himself, but that has been widely debunked in the time since. What’s more likely is that Manson knew about the house from his time with Melcher and sent his followers there because he knew the layout and knew it was secluded or he sent his followers there to send a message to Melcher.

Jay Sebring And Sharon Tate’s Relationship

The unusual nature of Jay Sebring and Sharon Tate’s relationship is addressed in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, but the movie ultimately doesn’t dwell on it and asks the audience to accept them as they are without much argument. Ultimately, that seems to be how some in their real lives prior to the tragic murders felt too. Sebring was considered to be one of the leading hairstylist in Hollywood. He worked with many of the most famous actors in the world including Warren Beatty and Paul Newman. He was also a notorious ladies man, though by all accounts, he settled down once he met Sharon. The two dated and were reportedly in love with each other, but she later left him for acclaimed director Roman Polanski.

After the break-up, Sebring flew to Europe and had dinner with both Tate and Polanski. He gave his approval to the relationship and remained intensely close to Tate. She allegedly told her friends and family she felt Sebring needed a traditional partner and a wife, which she couldn’t be in her early 20s. His friends and family were convinced he was still in love with her. Regardless of the specific feelings, they remained a part of each other’s lives, and he was wearing her high school class ring when he was murdered.

The above four references discussed in depth are, of course, just a small sample of those littered throughout Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. There are also dozens of famous actors seen or referenced including Steve McQueen, Cass Elliot from the Mamas and the Papas and heiress Abigail Folger. There are also real life restaurants like El Coyote and Musso and Frank's and numerous movies and TV shows including FBI and Lancer. There is also a ton of effort put into trying to make late 60s Los Angeles appear as authentic as possible from the buildings to the cars to the attitudes and norms of behavior. The effort is ultimately worth it too, as it helps create a sense of place and a feeling of realism throughout the movie's runtime.

Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming directorial effort Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is his “love letter” to Los Angeles as he plays and tinkers with the city's happenings in 1969, with a focus on the film industry’s state and the infamous Manson Family murders. Roman Polanski is at the center of both these subjects. At the time, the director had just found success with his film Rosemary’s Baby when his pregnant wife Sharon Tate was brutally murdered by Manson’s cult following.

Roman Polanski will be portrayed in the film by Polish actor Rafal Zawierucha alongside Margot Robbie’s Sharon Tate. The couple look to live next to fictional film star Rick Dalton, played by Leonardo DiCaprio. Fact may be being mixed with fiction in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, but Polanski’s wife Emmanuelle Seigner has shown her discomfort with his presence in Tarantino’s flick. Check out her words, translated from French by THR:

The French actress and model is angered by the inclusion of her husband’s personal life in the highly-anticipated Quentin Tarantino movie which recently premiered at Cannes to high applause.

Emmanuelle Seigner also touches on Hollywood’s making him into a “pariah”, likely a reference to the Academy kicking him out of the Academy last year for his 1977 rape charges. Roman Polanski fled the United States in 1978 after pleading guilty for drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl, and hasn’t since returned to the states.

Seigner added that she is not attacking the film itself, but pointing out the “bothersome” move by Quentin Tarantino not to approach Polanski about his depiction in the film. Tarantino recently commented (prior to her words) that he is a huge fan of the director’s work, particularly Rosemary’s Baby.

Roman Polanski was briefly shown in the latest trailer for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The movie will also include portrayals of Bruce Lee, Steve McQueen, film producer Marvin Schwartz (played by Al Pacino) and so forth. Margot Robbie’s Sharon Tate looks to be central to the story of the film, making Roman’s portrayal also important to the events Tarantino wanted to explore.

Emmanuelle Seigner’s words do spark a continuous debate between Hollywood and the people they’ve depicted over the years. Should the real figures being used as a source of entertainment be consulted or compensated in order for their appearance on screen to be allowed?

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood comes to theaters on July 26.

Ever since the sexual misconduct allegations against producer Harvey Weinstein were made public last October, the Me Too movement has been putting an ever-growing spotlight on sexual harassment and assault more so than ever, whether it's in Hollywood or in other industries, at work or in personal settings. But even before the Weinstein scandal broke, two high-profile entertainment figures who were in the news for sexual misconduct allegations were comedian Bill Cosby and director Roman Polanski. Now it's been announced that both men have been expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

In its public statement (via THR), the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that Bill Cosby and Roman Polanski are no longer members of the organization, saying that "the Board continues to encourage ethical standards that require members to uphold the Academy's values of respect for human dignity." The vote to expel Cosby and Weinstein occurred on May 1 and is part of the board of governor's efforts to enforce a Standards of Conduct that was implemented following the scandal surrounding Harvey Weinstein, who was also expelled from the Academy. Polanski, however, will still keep his the Oscar he won for directed 2003's The Pianist. Cosby was also recently kicked out of the Television Academy's Hall of Fame, which included his bust being removed from display.

Also known for his work on movies like Uptown Saturday Night and TV shows like The Cosby Show, Bill Cosby was recently found guilty of three counts of aggravated assault against Andrea Constand in 2004. Cosby's first trial ended as a mistrial with a deadlocked jury last year, but it went to retrial and the jury reached its verdict after 14 hours of deliberation. Cosby has not been sentenced yet. While Cosby had been investigated for sexual assault and harassment last decade, it wasn't until additional allegations came out starting in late 2014 (with Cosby being accused of assaulting numerous women between 1965 to 2008) that significant progress started to be made. Cosby has also been stripped of his honorary degrees from Yale University and Temple University.

As for Roman Polanski, who's directed movies like Chinatown and Rosemary's baby, he fled the United States in 1978 after he plead guilty to drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl. He hasn't returned to the States since then, and requests for his extradition have been denied. Polanski will be a character in Quentin Tarantino's upcoming movie Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, which is set in 1969 around the time of the Manson Family murders (of which Sharon Tate, Polanski's girlfriend, was one of the victims) and will be released on August 9, 2019.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for all the latest in movies news, and if you're interested in planning your trips to the theater later this year, head over to our 2018 release schedule.

It's been over two years since Quentin Tarantino released his eighth theatrical movie, The Hateful Eight, but over the last couple months, the director has been preparing for Project #9. The still-untitled movie will follow a number of events taking place in Hollywood in 1969, including the Manson Family Murders. One of the people who was killed by this cult was actress Sharon Tate, and it's already been reported that Margot Robbie is in talks to play Tate for Tarantino's movie. Now it appears that Tate's husband, director Roman Polanski, will also play a role in the story.

Just so it's perfectly clear, this latest update on Quentin Tarantino's movie is not that Roman Polanski himself will appear in it, but that an actor will be playing Polanski as he was in 1969. Given that Polanski left the United States in 1978 after he was arrested and charged with raping a 13-year-old girl the year before and has primarily lived in France since then, including the actual man in this movie would be challenging on Tarantino's part and, more importantly, ignite a lot of controversy.

In any case, since Sharon Tate is expected to have a major presence in this movie, it's not too shocking to learn that Polanski will have a "key role" in the proceedings as a character. By 1969, Polanski had already directed movies like Repulsion, Rosemary's Baby and The Fearless Vampire Killers (where he met Tate), and he was in Europe working on a movie when Tate and four others were tragically murdered. As for who will play Polanski in the movie, Quentin Tarantino is supposedly going the "discovery" route and looking for an "authentic Polish thesp[ian]."

Along with providing the Roman Polanski information, Variety's Justin Kroll also tweeted out that Quentin Tarantino's movie will see Leonardo DiCaprio's character being Sharon Tate's neighbor, meaning there's a good chance he'll share some screen time with her and possibly Roman Polanski, too. DiCaprio's casting was reported last month, and it was later revealed that he will play an actor who starred on a successful Wester TV series called Bounty Law from 1958 to 1963. However, DiCaprio's character has since been struggling to find work since then, having no luck making the transition to film and having to make guest appearances on other TV shows to make ends meet. Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise have also been mentioned as being in contention for Tarantino's movie, and supposedly the role both actors have met for is not a prosecutor, but a stuntman, which would fit given the Hollywood setting.

Quentin Tarantino's next movie will be released in theaters on August 9, 2019, the 50th anniversary of Sharon Tate's murder. As we wait for more news about this project, check out our 2018 release schedule to find out what movies are heading to a theater near you this year.

When most directors scout locations for upcoming projects, they worry about things like lighting, background and tax credits. When Roman Polanski does it, he has to worry about extradition agreements, which is why his next film, An Officer and A Spy, is suddenly in trouble.

The acclaimed 80-year-old director, who has been living in France since the late 1970s, wants to shoot his next film in Poland, specifically in Krakow and Warsaw. Because of the European nation’s extradition treaty with the United States, however, shooting there would potentially put him at risk to be arrested. He obviously doesn’t want that to happen and according to The Hollywood Reporter, will not begin principal photography until he’s given official government assurance that he’ll be safe, which puts Polish authorities in a bit of a quagmire. They want the prestige and money that comes with housing a new $40 million production from one of the world’s top filmmakers, but one would imagine they’re also not very excited about a) pissing off the United States and b) passively endorsing statutory rape.

The case against Roman Polanski is almost four decades old, and it’s every bit as complicated as it was back in 1977. The filmmaker, then 43-years-old and 8 years removed from the murder of his pregnant wife Sharon Tate, invited a 13-year-old girl over to Jack Nicholson’s house to participate in a photo shoot for the French edition of Vogue. The two of them shared some champagne. He gave her a Quaalude, and despite her objections, they had sex. Exactly how forceful she was about rejecting him has long been a matter of debate, but regardless, she was 13 and his actions were way over the line. He was later charged with numerous crimes and pled guilty in exchange for what he thought was counseling and probation. The judge and prosecutor allegedly changed their mind prior to sentencing, however, and hearing he would be thrown in jail, Roman Polanski fled the country. He’s remained on the run ever since.

In the years since the director fled from justice, he’s spent the majority of his time in France and other European countries that will not deport over crimes such as "unlawful sex with a minor." He was arrested in Switzerland a few years ago, however, and nearly sent back to The United States; so, the threat of extradition is one that is still very much in play, though it’s unlikely Poland will ultimately turn down a chance to have such a high profile movie filmed inside its borders. Besides, Roman Polanski was born to Polish parents, which means his protections under local law are that much stronger.

Both Polanski and his accuser have asked for the charges to be dropped so everyone can just move on with their lives, but the US Justice Department has shown no interest in doing that. So, expect this mess to go on for the rest of the director’s life.

With Gangster Squad coming to theaters this Friday, we've decided to take a look at some of our favorite Los Angeles detective stories, and what they tell us about the city they depict. Earlier, Katey Rich sang the praises of Robert Altman's 1973 noir The Long Goodbye, while Mack went to bat for L.A. Confidential. Today, Sean takes us to Chinatown for his choice of the quintessential California crime story.

Are we really debating the identity of the finest L.A. noir? Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.

That’s not to slander the choices of my esteemed Cinema Blend colleagues – all fine films in their own right. But Roman Polanski’s intricate, precise period thriller, derived from a flawless Robert Towne screenplay, stands atop most lists of the greatest films of all time regardless of genre, and has to lead any discussion of the most rewarding noir exercises in Hollywood history.

Polanski’s so in sync with the expected noir ingredients than one almost assumes Chinatown was filmed in the early- to mid-1940s – when Bogart helped define the genre in taut Phillip Marlowe and Sam Spade cases – then stashed in a time capsule for the director to unseal in 1974. Sticking with tradition, we follow a textbook womanizing gumshoe named Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson, drunk on self-confidence and at the top of his game) as he digs deeper and deeper into a sordid affair that involves the “usual suspects” of the genre: adultery, murder, blackmail, incest and water conservation.

Sorry, what was that last one? Water conservation?

Yes, the ultimate scheme powering Polanski’s masterpiece also ends up being the chief reason why Chinatown ranks as both a quintessential Los Angeles story and a vintage noir. How can a sun-dappled city nestled on the coast of the vast Pacific Ocean starve for water in its agricultural valley? How could something as universal as water be so valuable? “The middle of a drought and the water commissioner dies? Only in L.A.!”

Leaning heavily on the desert community’s reliance on water, Chinatown answers these vital questions while avoiding the easy trappings of celebrity greed and superficial vanity that’s often a staple of the L.A. noir. Forget the film industry. Towne and Polanski trace a crucial local thread tied to Southern California’s geography, its citrus crop and the power wielded by corrupt men who’ve figured out how to control the city’s water. Even Gittes can’t believe how far up the chain of command the scandal he’s investigating goes. It’s an admittance that eventually breaks his spirit and tarnishes his already-damaged soul.

Chinatown isn’t soul-crushing. Despite the human darkness and social depravity it willfully embraces, it exhilarates with its steely, take-no-prisoners performances, its seamless plotting and its gripping, delectable dialogue. I’d argue it’s one of the five best movies I’ve ever seen, and without question the best Los Angeles film noir the industry has to offer.

Chinatown is available for purchase at Amazon.

There are few better ways to explore a group of characters than by locking them in a room together. As Jean-Paul Sartre wrote in No Exit, "hell is other people" and when you force individuals that hate each other to interact, the results can be fantastic. Take, for example, the new Roman Polanski comedy Carnage. An adaptation of the play "God of Carnage" by Yasmina Reza (who co-wrote the screenplay with Polanski), the movie has already started winning critics over, playing at both the Venice Film Festival early last month and the on-going New York Film Festival. We've already seen the international trailer, but today the domestic preview has appeared online.

Check it out below and see it in HD over on Yahoo!

Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly, Christoph Waltz and Kate Winslet star as two pairs of parents who decide to get together when a schoolyard incident pits their respective sons against each other. While things start off civil and nice, as the night goes on tempers begin to flare and the rational adults begin to act more like the children that they are discussing.

Carnage hits theaters on December 16th. For more about the movie, be sure to head over to our Blend Film Database.

Take a second to think about Hans Landa, the horrific, duplicitous, conniving, Jew-hunting Nazi played by Christoph Waltz in Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds. Now think about Dale Doback, the spoiled, selfish, arrogant obnoxious man-child played by John C. Reilly in Adam McKay's Step Brothers. It wouldn't seem like a fair fight putting these two up against each other, but that's exactly what Roman Polanski is doing in God of Carnage.

Deadline reports that Reilly has joined the cast of the adaptation about two sets of parents who grow to despise each other after stopping their children from fighting on the playground. Based on the Tony Award-winning play by Yasmina Reva, Reilly will play husband to the character played by Jodie Foster while Waltz acts alongside Kate Winslet. James Gandolfini originally played Reilly's role on stage. The film is scheduled to go into production this January.

The Broadway production of the play was the third longest running in the last decade and earned rave reviews. The comedic tone is a shift for nearly everyone involved, save for Reilly, so it will be interesting to see how everyone plays off each other. Say what you will about Polanski (the man should be in prison, not directing movies), this sounds like an interesting project.

This week something unbelievable happened. No, I don't mean Roman Polanski finally being arrested for evading the law for 32 years, what I mean is the sickening raft of people from politicians to movie nerd hipsters coming out in unbridled support of Polanski using the most flimsy of excuses.

Back the hell up one minute here. You’re defending a convicted child rapist. Say it again. A. Convicted. Child. Rapist. What the hell is wrong with you people? Polanski was found guilty in court of raping a 13 year old girl. When he realized this would mean sharing a cell for several years with a large man who would probably make him his cell bitch, he ran away to Europe like a spineless worm. He was not fleeing from some miscarriage of justice, some unfair sting, no he ran away because he was worried his plea bargain would fall through and he wouldn't get the lenient sentence he was relying on.

So at what point exactly do we start differentiating between and thus condoning this kind of act? If a 20 year old in the States had done this he would be in the slammer for a goodly spell and not one person would speak out in disgust. But apparently if you release enough best-selling albums or reach auteur status as a director, this gives you a position where people who would normally cry for your castration instead demand your pardon? Really? Really??? Paint it any way you want that makes you sleep better at night, because that is what you are doing. You are condoning this foul act by making excuses for the ends of justice not being done.

It doesn’t matter if it's been 2, 22, 32 or 52 years. It doesn't matter if Polanski is 26, 56 or 76. This man has given the US justice system a big “fuck you” for the last 3 decades, hiding out in Europe, merrily carrying on his career and picking up awards left right and center all with the knowledge that certain factions would never give him up to the authorities as long as his movies brought their economy cash. And why not, why bother to lay low and keep out of the spotlight when every idiot politician or dipship with a hard on for Chinatown will find some justification for dropping the case. Under the plea bargain he arranged he could have served his time and been out making movies again a long long time ago, probably with no more ill effect to his career than his long-term hideout. So why are we all so quick to defend the actions of a coward?

I feel sorry for the victim of Polanski's attack and can sympathize with her frustration at repeatedly being drawn through the media spotlight of it all. But the US justice system is not to blame here. The blame falls on those people who have helped him evade the law for so long. Those who have knowingly and smilingly worked alongside the man, all the while knowing he was a fugitive from the law. The blame falls on those who have fawned over him and made their excuses for a dirty old man to subject a young girl to such an ordeal, run from the law and still get a standing ovation. You are to blame as you call for his release. You, the same people who probably shouted outrage the last time you heard about a similar case featuring nobodies in the next town over, but yet are willing to call for Polanski's release based simply on the grounds of who he is and what he has done in his career. Two-tier justice. On Twitter someone justified to me that Polanski's arrest was unjust because instead Obama should be rounding up child molesters in Thailand. Apparently two wrongs make a right in this world of ours. If many are getting away with it, why not let off one? If one is getting away with it, why not let them all? Circular logic. Utter nonsense.

There have been two major incidents in the adult life of Roman Polanski. One deserves your pity and sympathy: it is the brutal and horrific murder of his wife Sharon Tate at the hands of the Manson family. But to excuse or sympathize with the man for being arrested and not serving his time for a disgusting crime which he himself admitted to, is to contribute to a cheapening of justice and a slap in the face to victims of rape. All victims. Shame on you. Shame on you all.