For 2 years the famed director waited for this moment. Roman Polanski has finally received his Zurich Film Festival lifetime achievement award.

It was back in 2009, when Polanski was on route to fetch his much-deserved award that he was arrested in connection with a 1977 conviction related to having underaged sex with a 13 year old girl. The director fled America before the case was resolved in 1978 and has never returned sinec. After the extradition request was refused by the Swiss authorities, Polanski was freed from house arrest and returned to France. 2 years after the incident Polanski can now take the acclaim, but the cost of that one incident remains a dark shadow on his career.

Technically the director remains a fugitive and can only travel to certain countries that don’t have full judicial co-operation with The US. Whatever the case may be, Polanski is a cultural hero in France for his iconic work from the 70s till today and remains an inspiration to young directors.

Roman Polanski on the web : Zurich Film Festival , Biography