4.  Filmmakers Mobilize Behind Roman Polanski

On Sunday, 76-year-old director Roman Polanski was arrested in Switzerland on 30-year old charges for having sex with a 13-year-old girl. Over the past several days, the arrest has generated international controversy and mobilized the director's supporters, who claim that the case was flawed by judicial misconduct and note that the victim has since called for Polanski's exoneration. According to the Guardian, more than 70 major directors, including Pedro Almodovar, Woody Allen, Wong Kar-Wai, Asia Argento, and Darren Aronofsky, have signed a petition protesting the arrest. Additionally, a number of filmmakers have elected to boycott the Zurich Film Festival, where Polanski was to receive a lifetime achievement award. According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office, U.S. prosecutors have attempted to capture Polanski at least once every decade since his warrant was issued in 1978, although the government of France, where Polanski has lived for the past 30 years, has refused to extradite him to the United States. Upon learning of the arrest, French Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand criticized the U.S. for its actions, and remarked that "scary America ... has just shown its face."

Read original story in Guardian | Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009

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