Workers on Film Forum in New York City urges the theater’s programmers for the ongoing theater run of ”An officer and a spy” Roman PolanskiFilm 2019, finally shown in the United States after the film and the director, had been largely rejected due to the charges of sexual abuse (which he invoked guilty) which led the Oscar-winning director to flee from the United States decades ago.
Back in June, Film Forum silently announced that the movie would screenen From August 8 to August 28. It would be the film’s first American views in spite of it Wins the Grand Jury Prize from Venice 2019. On Monday, however, Film Forum’s Union, Local 2110 UAW, issued Long statement about x To say that they were “disturbed and disappointed” by the programming choice. The statement believes Programming note Listed on the theater’s website “fails to accurately address the severity” of the charges against Polanski.
“This approval of Polanski’s allegorical project makes film forum complicated in the cultural memory loss that normalizes abuse and prevents the survivors of sexual violence from being taken seriously,” the statement states. “As a worker and as a film lovers, we expect to assess our premiere programmers to introduce work that not only reflects a cultural significance, but maintains ethical responsibility.”
Film Forum’s Programming Note Reads That, “In present this work, movie forum does not condone Polanski’s crime. We respect our audience’s diverging Opinions, and we acknowled The complicated debate surround is a presentation of work by artists. Well-Crafted, Dramatic Depiction of the Dreyfus Affair-A Landmark Case of Institutional Corruption, Anti-Semitism, and a quick reminder of the hazards of being a whistle is thus an important contribution to the cinema’s decisive role in a historical story.
A rope for Film Forum did not respond to IndieWire’s request for comment.
“An officer and a spy” plays Louis Garrel as the French army captain Alfred Dreyfus, who was banished to Devil’s Island during the 1800s after being found guilty of treason and was accused of spreading military secrets to Germany. But it was later found that Dreyfus was sentenced because of his Jewish faith, and Jean Dujardin plays the French head of espionage, Georges Picquart, who helped to prove Dreyfu’s innocence.
In press notes at the film’s Venice premiere, Polanski said he related to the material and found parallels for his own career. “I can see the same determination to deny facts and condemn me for things I haven’t done,” Polanski wrote. “My work is not therapy. But I have to admit that I am familiar with many of the work on persecution that is shown in the film, and it has clearly inspired me.”
The Union referred to this statement and said that screening it now sets a “dangerous precedent.”
“This decision undermines our institution’s core values and, more urgent, betrays the confidence between Film Forum’s staff and its programmers, and between film forum and film -loving society as it serves,” it says. “Workers in Film Forum, Demand Accountability. We urge Film Forum to ensure that no future premiere programming decision will ever prioritize the work with sexual predators. We must take a clear position on sexual and sexist violence in the film industry.”
“An officer and a spy” were nominated for four European film awards and 12 CaesarsBut the last Polanski movie to receive US distribution was 2017’s “based on a true story.” The filmmaker directed last 2023’s “The Palace”, which also premiered at Venice.
