Roman Polański receives Golden Boot
Oscar-winning Polish-born film director Roman Polański received a Golden Boot statuette at the Friday closing gala of the 24th Cinergia European Cinema Forum in Łódź, central Poland. The statuette is awarded to "rebellious filmmakers going against fashion and trends".
The gala guests were also shown Polański's latest film 'An Officer and a Spy', which brought him the Grand Jury and International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) Awards at this year's film festival in Venice.
Thanking for the award, Polański recalled his days as a film school student in Łódź over 50 years ago, and observed that the city looked different then than it does today. He also voiced hope that his latest production will be well received.
The director was also scheduled to visit his alma mater the following day but cancelled the meeting on Friday.
In his address, Łódź Film School head Mariusz Grzegorzek referred to recent controversies around a Saturday-planned meeting with Polański in the school. Some of the school's students, staff and graduates have demanded that the meeting be cancelled owing to the director's involvement in a sexual assault case.
Grzegorzek assured that most of the school was expecting Polański's appearance at the meeting.
Polański is embroiled in a 1977 sexual assault case in the US involving then 13-year-old Samantha Geimer. According to the law of the state of California, sex with a minor is treated as rape.
