Roman Polanski
Roman Polański (born 18 August 1933) is a Polish-French film director, producer, writer and actor. Born in Paris to Polish parents, Polański relocated with his family to Poland in 1937. After surviving the Holocaust, he continued his education in Poland and became a critically acclaimed director of both art house and commercial films. Polański's first feature-length film, Knife in the Water (1962), made in Poland, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. He has since received five more Oscar nominations, and in 2002 received the Academy Award for Best Director for his film, The Pianist. He has also been the recipient of two Baftas, four Césars, a Golden Globe and the Palme d'Or. He left Poland in 1961 to live in France for several years, then moved to the United Kingdom where he collaborated with Gérard Brach on three films, beginning with Repulsion (1965). In 1968 he moved to the United States, immediately cementing his burgeoning directing status with the 1968 groundbreaking Academy Award winning horror film Rosemary's Baby. In 1969, Polański's pregnant wife, Sharon Tate, was murdered while staying at the Polański's Benedict Canyon home above Los Angeles by members of the Manson Family. Following Tate's death, Polański returned to Europe and spent much of his time in Paris and Gstaad, but did not make another film until he filmed Macbeth (1971) in England. The following year he went to Italy to make What? (1973) and subsequently spent the next five years living near Rome. However, he traveled to Hollywood to direct Chinatown (1974) for Paramount Pictures, with Robert Evans serving as producer. The film was nominated for eleven Academy Awards, and was a critical and box-office success; the script by Robert Towne won for Best Original Screenplay. Polański's next film, The Tenant (1976), was shot in France, and completed the "Apartment Trilogy", following Repulsion and Rosemary's Baby. In 1977, after a photo shoot in Los Angeles, Polański was arrested for the sexual abuse of a 13 year old girl. He was charged with rape but pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with a minor. To avoid sentencing, Polański fled to his home in London, and then moved on to France the following day. He has had a U.S. arrest warrant outstanding since then, and an international arrest warrant since 2005. Polański continued to make films such as The Pianist (2002), a World War II-set adaptation of Jewish-Polish musician Władysław Szpilman's autobiography of the same name, which echoed some of Polański's earlier life experiences. Like Szpilman, Polański escaped the ghetto and the concentration camps while family members were killed. The film won three Academy Awards including Best Director, the Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or, and seven French César Awards including Best Picture and Best Director. He then released the successful films Oliver Twist (2005), To Each His Own Cinema (2007), and The Ghost Writer (2010), completed while under house arrest. In September 2009, Polański was arrested by Swiss police, at the request of U.S. authorities, when he traveled to receive a lifetime achievement award at the Zurich Film Festival. In October 2009, the U.S. requested his extradition; however, on July 12, 2010, the Swiss rejected that request and instead declared him a "free man" after releasing him from custody.
Chinatown
as Man with KnifePrivate eye Jake Gittes lives off of the murky moral climate of sunbaked, pre-World War II...
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After a botched assassination attempt, the mismatched duo finds themselves in Paris, struggling...
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Frantic
as Taxi Driver Who Hands Over the Matches to Dr. Walker (uncredThe wife of an American doctor suddenly vanishes in Paris and, to find her, he navigates a...
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The Fearless Vampire Killers
as AlfredA noted professor and his dim-witted apprentice fall prey to their inquiring vampires, while on...
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The Tenant
as TrelkovskyA quiet and inconspicuous man rents an apartment in France where he finds himself drawn into a...
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Repulsion
as Spoon PlayerBeautiful young manicurist Carole suffers from androphobia (the pathological fear of interaction...
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An Officer and a Spy
as Concertgoer (uncredited)In 1894, French Captain Alfred Dreyfus is wrongfully convicted of treason and sentenced to life...
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Carnage
as NeighborAfter 11-year-old Zachary Cowan strikes his classmate across the face with a stick after an...
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What?
as MosquitoA young American woman traveling through Italy finds herself in a strange Mediterranean villa...
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Blood for Dracula
as GamblerDeathly ill Count Dracula and his slimy underling, Anton, travel to Italy in search of a...
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Close Up
as Self (archive footage)More than 150 silent short films about singers, actors and directors captured during Press...
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Knife in the Water
as Young Man (voice)On their way to an afternoon on the lake, husband and wife Andrzej and Krystyna nearly run over...
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Quiet Chaos
as SteinerPietro is a successful businessman with a wife and a daughter. One day he helps his brother save...
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Kanal
as Resistance Member pushed into a Sewer (uncredited)During the last few days of the Warsaw Uprising following World War II, a modest group of...
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The Kid Stays in the Picture
as Self (archive footage)Documentary about legendary Paramount producer Robert Evans, based on his famous 1994 autobiography.
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Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley's “Island of Dr. Moreau”
as Self (archive footage)The story of the insane scandals related to the remake of “Island of Dr. Moreau” —originally a...
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A Pure Formality
as InspectorOnoff is a famous writer, now a recluse. The Inspector is suspicious when Onoff is brought into...
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Dead Tired
as Roman PolanskiStressed and overworked, famous French movie star Michel Blanc is beginning to wear down,...
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The Revenge
as Józef PapkinA winter day at a Polish castle, half owned by a fatalistic notary and half by a volcanic old...
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The Magic Christian
as Solitary DrinkerSir Guy Grand, the richest man in the world, adopts a homeless man, Youngman. Together, they set...
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Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
as Self (archive footage)Examines the public scandal and private tragedy which led to legendary director Roman Polanski's...
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Samson
as Partner of Malina's Blackmailer (uncredited)The hero is a Jewish youth. He, like his family, has always been silent and undemonstrative in...
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Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans
as Self (archive footage)Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans interweaves stunning newly discovered footage and voice...
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Seduced and Abandoned
as SelfSEDUCED AND ABANDONED combines acting legend Alec Baldwin with director James Toback as they...
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Bad Luck
as Tutor (uncredited)To convince the prison warden against releasing him, a middle-aged Polish man recounts his life,...
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Three Stories
as Genek "Mały" (segment 2)The short stories showing the troubles of youth serving in the "Służba Polsce" organisation.
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A Generation
as MundekStach is a wayward teen living in squalor on the outskirts of Nazi-occupied Warsaw. Guided by an...
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Ciao, Federico!
as Self (uncredited)A behind-the-scenes documentary about the filming of the Federico Fellini film, "Satyricon."
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Nikodem Dyzma
as Porter (uncredited)Nikodem Dyzma is a poor dancer who comes to Warsaw to find a job. The problem is that nobody...
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Innocent Sorcerers
as DudzioA young doctor is tired of being sought by women. One night he meets a young girl who all but...
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Wraki
as RomekDiver Antoni Barnat is falsely accused of causing an accident underwater that almost led to his...
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Chassé-croisé
as uncreditedPassionate about music, Julien nevertheless works with a sculptor. One day, he meets young...
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Filming 'Tess'
as SelfDocumentary about the making of Roman Polanski's 1979 film "Tess."
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Lotna
as Musician (uncredited)Set in the beginning of Wold War II, when the Polish cavalry still fought with lances against...
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Will the Real Mr. Sellers...
as SelfA BBC documentary portrait of Peter Sellers, filmed over a period of nine months in 1969 where...
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Two Men and a Wardrobe
as Bad BoyA short Polish black and white silent movie directed by Roman Polański. The film features two...
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Magical Bicycle
as AdaśThe last stage of the Cycling Race Dookoła Polski: Kielce - Warsaw. The fate of the race is at...
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Françoise Dorléac, une promesse
as SelfA portray of French actress Françoise Dorléac
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Playboy: The Story of X
as Self (archive footage)The Story Of X takes you to the earliest days of adult films when men peddled stag reels and...
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Il falso bugiardo
as Self (archive footage)Based upon Vincenzoni's biography, "Pane e cinema", the documentary traces the story of the...
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Trzy starty
as Basia's BrotherThree separate short stories about young athletes who lose their chances of success. Young...
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Tonite Let's All Make Love in London
as SelfPeter Whitehead’s disjointed Swinging London documentary, subtitled “A Pop Concerto,” comprises...
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A Special Day
as SelfAt the 60th anniversary of Cannes Film Festival, 34 famous directors are followed by camera.
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Tess: From Novel to Screen
as SelfDocumentary about Roman Polanski's film adaptation of the 1891 novel "Tess of the d'Urbervilles"...
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Good Bye, Till Tomorrow
as RomekJacek is a handsome, charming young Pole who belongs to a drama company. One day, in the streets...
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Koniec nocy
as MałyA group of young Łódź hoodlums spends their time shoplifting, partying and drinking heavily,...
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Light Keeps Me Company
as SelfCarl-Gustaf Nykvist's documentary about his father, Sven Nykvist. The film is based on Sven's...
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Henri Langlois vu par...
as SelfThirteen filmmakers talk about Henri Langlois and their relationship with him.
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The Nomad
as SelfAn interview with film director Roman Polanski, recorded for BBC TV in 1967.
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The Family
as SelfTwo intertwined families who have made half a century of cinema. La Grande Bouffe, We won’t grow...
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In The Tracks Of - Alexandre Desplat
as SelfAlexandre Desplat is one of the most famous film music composer of today. Innovative artist with...
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Back in the USSR
as KurilovDuring Gorbachev's perestroika, a Chicago student, visits Moscow while the Soviet Union is...
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The Lamp
as A passer-by (uncredited)In waning winter light, a doll maker works in his shop, a kerosene lamp beside him, a jumble of...
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Once Upon a Time... 'Tess'
as SelfTelevision documentary about the making of Roman Polanski's 1979 film "Tess."
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When Angels Fall
as Old womanThe twenty-one-minute-film is set in a men's public rest room and recounts the day to day...
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Manson: Music From an Unsound Mind
as Self (archive footage)The untold story of Charles Manson's obsession to become a rock star, his rise in the LA music...
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Weekend of a Champion
as HimselfFilmmaker Roman Polanski spends a weekend with world champion driver Jackie Stewart as he...
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The Fat and the Lean
as the leanA small and thin barefoot slave (played by Polanski) plays a flute and beats a drum to entertain...
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Roman Polanski: A Film Memoir
as SelfAn interview with film director Roman Polanski conducted during his period of house arrest,...
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Catherine Deneuve, belle et bien là
as Self (archive footage)Catherine Deneuve couldn’t care less about being a celebrity, but fame made her an icon long ago...
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Weekend of a Champion
as SelfAn entertaining vérité look at world champion driver Sir Jackie Stewart as Roman Polanski...
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Elle s'appelait Françoise
as SelfFrançoise Dorléac et Catherine Deneuve were nearly twins. Only 18 months separated these sisters...
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The Evolution of Snuff
as uncreditedMockumentary about a pornographic film starlet who commits suicide during the filming of a...
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Remembering 'Rosemary's Baby'
as SelfRetrospective documentary on the making of 'Rosemary's Baby' (1968).
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Valley of the Dolls: A World Premiere Voyage
as HimselfThe maiden cruise of the ocean liner Italia travels from Italy to California for the premiere of...
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The Ten Commandments of Creativity
as SelfHaving struggled to crack his brief, Dennis Hopper decides the only honourable act is to throw...
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Polanski, Horowitz. The Wizards From the Ghetto
as SelfFilmmaker Roman Polanski and photographer Ryszard Horowitz meet in Kraków, Poland, where,...
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The Last Days of Sharon Tate
as Self (archive footage)The documentary profiled the final and last days of Sharon Tate Polanski, a beloved actress and...
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Two Gangsters and an Island
as SelfA short documentary about the making of the 1966 film 'Cul-de-sac'.
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Dracula: The True Story
as HimselfThe Irish novelist, Bram Stoker, gave the world Dracula in 1897. This documentary explores the...
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Tess: The Experience
as SelfA documentary that interviews the cast and crew of Roman Polanski's 1979 film "Tess."
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Grand écran: Roman Polanski Directs in London
as SelfA television documentary filmed on the set of Roman Polanski's 1964 film "Repulsion" with rare...
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Mia and Roman
as HimselfMia and Roman is a 1968 23-minute documentary film which was shot during the making of...
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Toil And Trouble: Making 'Macbeth'
as SelfA new documentary on the Criterion Collection edition of Roman Polanski's 1971 adaptation of...
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Polanski Meets Macbeth
as SelfA 1971 documentary by Frank Simon featuring rare footage of the film’s cast and crew at work.
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Sex, Lies and Jerzy Kosinski
as uncreditedThe making of Jerzy Kosinski. The BBC documentary on the life and art of enigmatic novelist...
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Roman Polanski: Odd Man Out
as Self (archive footage)A follow-up to the 2008 documentary "Roman Polanski: Wanted And Desired", focusing on the...
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Komeda: A Soundtrack for a Life
as SelfKrzysztof Komeda was a jazz pianist and film composer. With compositions like the lullaby for...
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A British Horror Film
as SelfA documentary on the making of Roman Polanski's 1965 film "Repulsion," featuring interviews with...
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Cracow by Polanski
as uncreditedRoman Polanski lived in Cracow/Krakow during 1936-1955 - almost 20 years of his life. These...
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Clive James Meets Roman Polanski
as uncreditedRoman Polanski speaks frankly about his childhood in the Warsaw ghetto, his mothers death, his...
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Ciné regards: Tess: Roman Polanski
as SelfTelevision documentary about the making of Roman Polanski's 1979 film, Tess.
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The South Bank Show: Roman Polanski
as SelfA documentary first presented on the South Bank Show in 1980 about the career of film director...
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Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
as SelfA talk show presented by Michel Drucker
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The Dick Cavett Show
as Self - GuestThe Dick Cavett Show has been the title of several talk shows hosted by Dick Cavett on various...
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Wetten, dass..?
as SelfA long-running German-language entertainment television show based on the format of the British...
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Apostrophes
as SelfApostrophes was a live, weekly, literary, prime-time, talk show on French television created and...
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Scene by Scene
as SelfMark Cousins invites film actors and directors to watch major scenes in their career to date,...
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Helter Skelter: An American Myth
as Self - Widower of Sharon Tate (archive footage)The untold story behind cult leader Charles Manson and his followers' heinous crimes as told...
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E! True Hollywood Story
as uncreditedE! True Hollywood Story is an American documentary series on E! that deals with famous Hollywood...
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