It was rape, rape.
Paris (AFP) – French feminists interrupted a retrospective of filmmaker Roman Polanski in Paris on Monday, in a topless protest against the Franco-Polish director who has been accused of a string of sexual assaults.
Two women, whose upper bodies were daubed with the words “Very Important Pedocriminal” yelled “No honours for rapists” at 84-year-old Polanski, who was presenting his latest film “D’après une Histoire Vraie” (“Based on a True Story”) to launch the retrospective.
They were rapidly ejected from the prestigious Cinematheque Francaise film archive premises and continued their protest with others waiting outside.
“If rape is an art form, give Polanski all the Cesars,” read one banner waved outside the venue.
In January, the director was forced to pull out of presiding over the “French Oscars” — the Cesars — after feminist groups called for the awards to be boycotted.
Dozens of people, including some men, turned up for the protest against Polanski, who is wanted in the United States for statutory rape of a 13-year-old girl in 1977, when he was 43.
Polanski’s appearance came as the debate over sexual abuse rages worldwide following the allegations that toppled Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein.
In an interview with the France 5 channel to be aired later Monday, Polanski steered clear of questions about the Weinstein affair or his own sexual past but declared that there were too many calls for denunciations in the current climate.