film Roman Polanski Wanted and Desired

Marina Zenovich's new documentary examines the public scandal and private tragedy which led to legendary director Roman Polanski's sudden flight from the United States.
- IMDb.com

Roman Polanski is certainly admired and respected as one of the world’s great film directors. But his reputation has been forever tarnished by his public conviction for having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor some 30 years ago and his subsequent flight from the United States to avoid going to jail. At least that's what everyone thinks. In her riveting reopening of this controversial and, as it turns out, very complex case, filmmaker Marina Zenovich fashions a perceptive and intelligent exploration of what really happened those many years ago and casts a very different light on Polanski’s decision as well as the workings of the legal system.

Revisiting all of the key players--the lawyers, the victim, and the media--and focusing on the conduct of the judge whose handling of the case was definitely unusual, as well as unearthing telling footage from the past and incorporating insightful interviews from the present, Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired develops a case for a clear miscarriage of justice. But far from being an apologia for Polanski, the film is simply trying to bring comprehension and clarity to events long clouded by myths and presumptions. Sure to raise questions and perhaps resolve the limbo that still envelops Polanski, this documentary is one that you won’t want to miss. 
–Sundance Film Guide

ExP: Steven Soderbergh, Randy Wooten
Pr: Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, Lila Yacoub
Ci: Tanja Koop
Ed: Joe Bini

Sundance bidding for 'Polanski' is on

Jan 19, 2008

Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired

Bottom Line: Engrossing and well-researched documentary reopens the Polanski case with surprising results.

Jan 20, 2008

Sundance Film Festival

PARK CITY -- For movie lovers around the world, one of the saddest chapters in film history was the exile of Roman Polanski from the U.S. more than 30 years ago. Convicted of having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, Polanski fled the U.S. rather than risk serving extended jail time. Over the years, the case has become encrusted with media-created mythology. Now Marina Zenovich's thoroughly researched and beautifully crafted documentary revisits the case and introduces new evidence that suggests a gross miscarriage of justice. It's a compelling tale that should be a natural for film savvy cable outlets.

Zenovich does not argue that what Polanski did to 13-year-old Samantha Geimer was right, but she does present a compelling case that he was not treated fairly by the judicial system, especially by his trial judge, Laurence Rittenband. It's a complex story with many moving parts, and Zenovich gives context to the main drama by referencing Polanski's horrendous childhood fleeing the Nazis in Poland and the death of his mother in a prison camp.

But what really set the stage was the murder of his pregnant wife, Sharon Tate, by the Manson family. It's from this point on that Polanski became the center of a three-ring media circus and was identified by the public as a profligate dwarf. It was his misfortune to draw a judge that was always playing to the court of public opinion and saw himself as a director on the bench. One of the film's subtle points is the role the media played, as long ago as 1977, in influencing justice.