CONTROVERSIA
Portrait of Roman Polanski

Photo: Georges Biard · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Born in France · Nationalities French, Polish — Cinéma / justice pénale / violences sexuelles / réputation / extradition

Roman Polanski

Film, television and entertainment

Fiche documentée couvrant 10 controverses, dont « 1977 : plaidoyer de culpabilité pour relation sexuelle illégale avec une mineure de 13 ans » et « 1978 : fuite des États-Unis avant le prononcé définitif de la peine ».

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Profile No. 5757 · Updated on 12 October 2026

Portrait of Roman Polanski

Photo: Georges Biard · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
10Documented controversies
4Sources
1Formal charge · all time1 closed without conviction
1Conviction

§ Legal statuses reflect the documented sources as of the date shown; they replace neither court decisions nor the presumption of innocence. Counts are not a rating. Methodology

I. Documented controversies

Case · 4 documented stages

1978-2026 : maintien du contentieux américain non résolu sur la peine de 1977

Conviction
01

1978–2026

1978-2026 : maintien du contentieux américain non résolu sur la peine de 1977

Conviction

Polanski demeure hors des États-Unis et le dossier historique n'a pas donné lieu à une clôture complète par sentencing en sa présence.

Attribution
Accused

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    ReutersRoman Polanski will not face new US charges over 1977 caseNews agencyVery high reliability

Last verified: 26 September 2026

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07

2009–2010

2009-2010 : arrestation en Suisse puis refus d'extradition

Conviction

Polanski est arrêté en Suisse à la demande des États-Unis dans le cadre du dossier de 1977.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    BBC NewsRoman Polanski case: Swiss authorities reject US extradition requestBroadcastHigh reliability

Last verified: 26 September 2026

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09

1978–

1978 : fuite des États-Unis avant le prononcé définitif de la peine

Conviction

Polanski quitte les États-Unis avant l'audience de sentencing et s'installe durablement en Europe.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
Accused

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    BBC NewsRoman Polanski case: Swiss authorities reject US extradition requestBroadcastHigh reliability

Last verified: 26 September 2026

Add to this entry

10

1977

1977 : plaidoyer de culpabilité pour relation sexuelle illégale avec une mineure de 13 ans

Conviction

Polanski plaide coupable en Californie d'un chef d'unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor concernant Samantha Geimer, âgée de 13 ans.

State of the evidence
Established by a court
Attribution
Accused

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    ReutersRoman Polanski acquitted by French court in defamation trialNews agencyVery high reliability

Last verified: 26 September 2026

Add to this entry

Case · 2 documented stages

2019-2024 : procès en diffamation intenté par Charlotte Lewis

Acquitted / conviction overturned
02

2019–2024

2019-2024 : procès en diffamation intenté par Charlotte Lewis

Acquitted / conviction overturned

Lewis poursuit Polanski pour diffamation après qu'il a qualifié son accusation de mensonge dans une interview.

Legal status — source text
Acquitted / conviction overturned
Attribution
Accused
Course of the proceedings
  1. Formally charged — Formal charge before the current outcome

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    ReutersRoman Polanski acquitted by French court in defamation trialNews agencyVery high reliability

Last verified: 26 September 2026

Add to this entry

03

14 mai 2024

14 mai 2024 : relaxe dans le procès en diffamation Charlotte Lewis

Acquitted / conviction overturned

Un tribunal français acquitte Polanski du chef de diffamation.

State of the evidence
Established by a court
Legal status — source text
Acquitted / conviction overturned
Attribution
Accused
Course of the proceedings
  1. Formally charged — Formal charge before the current outcome

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    ReutersRoman Polanski acquitted by French court in defamation trialNews agencyVery high reliability

Last verified: 26 September 2026

Add to this entry

04

2017–2020

2017-2020 : nouvelles accusations d'agressions sexuelles par plusieurs femmes

No legal proceedings

Plusieurs femmes formulent ou réitèrent des accusations d'agression sexuelle contre Polanski à l'ère #MeToo.

State of the evidence
Allegations
Attribution
Accused

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    ReutersRoman Polanski acquitted by French court in defamation trialNews agencyVery high reliability

Last verified: 26 September 2026

Add to this entry

05

2020

2020 : César du meilleur réalisateur et départ de plusieurs participantes en signe de protestation

No legal proceedings

Polanski reçoit le César du meilleur réalisateur pour J'accuse, provoquant le départ de plusieurs participantes.

State of the evidence
Documented
Legal status — source text
Not applicable
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    ReutersRoman Polanski acquitted by French court in defamation trialNews agencyVery high reliability

Last verified: 26 September 2026

Add to this entry

06

2018

2018 : exclusion de l'Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Civil / administrative proceedings

L'Academy expulse Polanski dans le contexte du mouvement #MeToo.

State of the evidence
Documented
Legal status — source text
expelled
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    ReutersRoman Polanski expelled from film academy over sexual misconduct allegationsNews agencyVery high reliability

Last verified: 26 September 2026

Add to this entry

08

2010–

2010 : accusation de Charlotte Lewis concernant des faits allégués de 1983

No legal proceedings

Charlotte Lewis accuse Polanski de l'avoir violée à Paris en 1983 lorsqu'elle avait 16 ans.

State of the evidence
Alleged
Attribution
Accused

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    ReutersRoman Polanski acquitted by French court in defamation trialNews agencyVery high reliability

Last verified: 26 September 2026

Add to this entry

II. Constellation of documented links

  • Linked profile (portrait or initials) — click to open it
  • Line width: number of documented references
  • Hover over or tap a line: controversies and sources

Two profiles are linked when a documented controversy of one names the other. The link points to that controversy and its sources; it does not indicate a personal relationship.

List of documented links (6)
  1. Alain Finkielkraut1 documented reference
  2. Asia Argento1 documented reference
  3. Jack Lang1 documented reference
  4. Natalie Portman1 documented reference
  5. Pascal Bruckner1 documented reference
  6. Whoopi Goldberg1 documented reference

III. Has something changed?

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