Roman Polanski was made honorary president for France's César Awards show next month, only to resign his position due to protest from a French women's group.
The César Awards are France's equivalent to the Oscars and the role of the president is to simply introduce the event and give a speech. However, Deadline reported Polanksi renounced his position as president. His attorney confirmed the decision with Agence Presse France but did not give a reason why he made the choice. However, he did cite excessive protest from a French women's group, Osez Le Feminisme, who condoned Polanski's guilty conviction of sex crime almost 40 years earlier.
In 1977, Polanski engaged in unlawful sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old girl. The victim, Samantha Geimer, has since forgiven Polanski for his actions and believed his exile was enough punishment.
Polanski has a warrant out for his arrest in the United States where he only served 42 days prison sentencing before fleeing to Europe and has been on the run since. Despite being under house arrest for nine months in Switzerland in 2009, Polanski mainly resides in Poland and France where he is able to avoid extradition laws for further conviction.
Osez Le Feminisme said they were "nauseated" by The Académie des Arts et Techniques decision to grant Polanski presidency. However, there has been no further comment from the organization. Nor has the Académie responded this morning about next month's event or their plans for a replacement presenter.
Many notable figures in the French film industry and in politics came to Polanski's defense on the scandal. One of them, actor François Berléand spoke to Le Parisien, "I do not condone what Polanski did 40 years ago, but he is a man I deeply respect and he has a place at the Césars."
Former French Culture Minister, Aurélie Filippetti commented, "It’s something that happened 40 years ago. One cannot bring up this affair every time we talk about him… It’s just an awards ceremony.”, he told Franco Info Radio.
Polanski calls this outrage "unjustified," according to his attorney and has been "deeply saddened" because this scandal continues to have "affected his family." He has not spoken further on the issue.