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Roman Polański Biography

Birth Name:Rajmund Roman Thierry Polanski

Birth Place:Paris, France

Profession Director, Writer, Actor, Producer

Fast Facts

Won a Lifetime Achievement Golden Icon Award at the 2009 Zurich Film Festival
Was presented with a Life Achievement Award at the 2006 European Film Awards
Won the 2003 World Cinematography Award at the Czech Critics Awards
Survived the holocaust and went on to attend the National Film School in Lódz, Poland, pursuing his childhood fascination with the cinema
Quote: "I am not a fortune teller․ I would like to be judged for my work, and not for my life․ If there is any possibility of changing your destiny, it may be only in your creative life, certainly not in your life, period․"
Quote: "My films are the expression of momentary desires․ I follow my instincts, but in a disciplined way․"
Often incorporates water into key plot points and scenes of his films
Arranges shots from the perspective of the protagonist, panning around the room and landing on things that interest the character
His second wife, Sharon Tate, was murdered by Charles Manson's followers while he was out of town for business
Used to watch German newsreels through barbed wire from a corner of the ghetto in Krakòw because they were the closest things to films available to him

Awards

1958Golden Gate Award-Best Short Subject: winner
1959Honorable Mention-: winner
1962FIPRESCI Prize-: winner
1963Golden Dragon-Other Forms: winner
1963Main Prize-: winner
1965Golden Berlin Bear-: nominated
1965FIPRESCI Prize-: winner
1965Silver Berlin Bear-Special Prize of the Jury: winner
1965NYFCC Award-Best Director: nominated
1966Golden Berlin Bear-: winner
1969Oscar-Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium: nominated
1969David-Best Foreign Director (Migliore Regista Straniero): winner
1969DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: nominated
1969Edgar-Best Motion Picture: nominated
1969Golden Globe-Best Screenplay: nominated
1969Hugo-Best Dramatic Presentation: nominated
1969Gold Medal-Favorite Motion Picture: winner
1969WGA Award (Screen)-Best Written American Drama: nominated
1970Critics Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
1972Special Recognition-Documentary: winner
1972Golden Berlin Bear-: nominated
1975Oscar-Best Director: nominated
1975BAFTA Film Award-Best Direction: winner
1975Bodil-Best Non-European Film (Bedste ikke-europæiske film): winner
1975DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: nominated
1975Golden Globe-Best Director - Motion Picture: winner
1975Sant Jordi-Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): winner
1976Palme d'Or-: nominated
1980César-Best Director (Meilleur réalisateur): winner
1980César-Best Film (Meilleur film): winner
1980LAFCA Award-Best Director: winner
1981Oscar-Best Director: nominated
1981BSFC Award-Best Director: winner
1981Golden Globe-Best Director - Motion Picture: nominated
1981Korean Association of Film Critics Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
1989Jupiter Award-Best International Film: nominated
1995International Fantasy Film Award-Best Film: nominated
1995Independent Spirit Award-Best Director: nominated
1999Outstanding European Achievement in World Cinema-: winner
2002Golden Reel-Best Polish Film: winner
2002ACCA-Best Director: winner
2002ACCA-Best Motion Picture: nominated
2002BSFC Award-Best Director: winner
2002Palme d'Or-: winner
2002European Film Award-European Director: nominated
2002European Film Award-European Film: nominated
2002Sierra Award-Best Director: nominated
2002VVFP Award-Best Director: nominated
2003Movies for Grownups Award-Best Director: winner
2003ASECAN Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
2003Oscar-Best Picture: nominated
2003Oscar-Best Director: winner
2003BAFTA Film Award-Best Film: winner
2003David Lean Award for Direction-: winner
2003Audience Choice Award-: winner
2003CFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2003Critics Choice Award-Best Director: nominated
2003César-Best Film (Meilleur film): winner
2003César-Best Director (Meilleur réalisateur): winner
2003David-Best Foreign Film (Miglior Film Straniero): winner
2003DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: nominated
2003Fotogramas de Plata-Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): winner
2003Golden Globe-Best European Film (Miglior Film Europeo): winner
2003Goya-Best European Film (Mejor Película Europea): winner
2003INOCA-Best Director: nominated
2003Silver Ribbon-Best Foreign Director (Regista del Miglior Film Straniero): winner
2003IOMA-Best Director (Miglior regia): nominated
2003NSFC Award-Best Director: winner
2003Ecumenical Film Award-: winner
2003Eagle-Best Director (Najlepsza Rezyseria): winner
2003Eagle-Best Film (Najlepszy Film): winner
2003Golden Aries-Best Foreign Film: nominated
2003Rosa de Sant Jordi Audience Award-Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): winner
2003Audience Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
2003VFCC Award-Best Director: nominated
2003Étoile d'Or-Best Director (Meilleur réalisateur): winner
2004Silver Condor-Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): nominated
2004Czech Lion-Best Foreign Language Film (Nejlepsí zahranicní film): winner
2004Golden Eagle-Best Foreign Film: winner
2004Kinema Junpo Award-Best Foreign Language Film: winner
2004Readers' Choice Award-Best Foreign Language Film: winner
2004Readers' Choice Award-Best Foreign Language Film: winner
2004Mainichi Film Concours-Best Foreign Language Film: winner
2006EFA People's Choice Award-Best European Film: nominated
2010Silver Berlin Bear-Best Director: winner
2010Golden Berlin Bear-: nominated
2010CinEuphoria-Top Films of the Decade - International Competition: winner
2010Cinema for Peace Award-Cinema for Peace Award for the Most Valuable Film of the Year: nominated
2010DFCC-Best Director: nominated
2010European Film Award-European Screenwriter: winner
2010European Film Award-European Film: winner
2010EFA People's Choice Award-: nominated
2010European Film Award-European Director: winner
2010Golden Globe-Best European Film (Miglior Film Europeo): winner
2010ICP Award-Best Director: nominated
2010Silver Ribbon-Best European Director (Regista del Miglior Film Europeo): nominated
2010FIPRESCI Film of the Year-: winner
2010Satellite Award-Best Director: nominated
2010Satellite Award-Best Screenplay, Adapted: nominated
2010The Greatest Films of All Time-Horror: winner
2010VVFP Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2010VVFP Award-Best Director: nominated
2011Silver Condor-Best Foreign Film, Not in the Spanish Language (Mejor Película Extranjera): nominated
2011Chlotrudis Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2011CinEuphoria-Top Ten of the Year - International Competition: winner
2011César-Best Film (Meilleur film): nominated
2011César-Best Adapted Screenplay (Meilleure adaptation): winner
2011César-Best Director (Meilleur réalisateur): winner
2011Gaudí Award-Best European Film (Millor Pel·lícula Europea): nominated
2011Gold Derby Film Award-Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2011Gold Derby Film Award-Director: nominated
2011Goya-Best European Film (Mejor Película Europea): nominated
2011ICS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2011INOCA-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2011INOCA-Best Director: nominated
2011IOMA-Best Picture (Miglior film): nominated
2011IOMA-Best Director (Miglior regia): nominated
2011IOMA-Best Adapted Screenplay (Miglior sceneggiatura non originale): nominated
2011Kinema Junpo Award-Best Foreign Language Film: winner
2011Lumiere Award-Best Screenplay (Meilleur scénario): winner
2011Lumiere Award-Best Director (Meilleur réalisateur): winner
2011Lumiere Award-Best Film (Meilleur Film): nominated
2011NSFC Award-Best Director: nominated
2011NSFC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2011OFTA Film Award-Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium: nominated
2011OFTA Film Award-Best Director: nominated
2011USC Scripter Award-: nominated
2011Little Golden Lion-: winner
2011Golden Lion-: nominated
2011Étoile d'Or-Best Director (Réalisateur): winner
2012CEC Award-Best Screenplay, Adapted (Mejor Guión Adaptado): winner
2012César-Best Adapted Screenplay (Meilleure adaptation): winner
2012David-Best European Film (Miglior Film dell'Unione Europea): nominated
2012European Film Award-European Screenwriter: nominated
2012Goya-Best European Film (Mejor Película Europea): nominated
2012Silver Ribbon-Best European Director (Regista del Miglior Film Europeo): nominated
2012IOMA-Best Adapted Screenplay (Miglior sceneggiatura non originale): winner
2012IOMA-Special Prize for the Best European Film (Premio speciale al miglior film europeo): nominated
2013Palme d'Or-: nominated
2013Art Cinema Award-: winner
2013Eagle-Best Director (Najlepsza Rezyseria): winner
2013Eagle-Best Screenplay (Najlepszy Scenariusz): nominated
2013Prix Saint-Germain-Best French Film: winner
2014César-Best Film (Meilleur film): nominated
2014César-Best Director (Meilleur réalisateur): winner
2014César-Best Adapted Screenplay (Meilleure adaptation): nominated
2014David-Best European Film (Miglior Film dell'Unione Europea): nominated
2014Halfway Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2014IOMA-Best Adapted Screenplay (Miglior sceneggiatura non originale): nominated
2014Lumiere Award-Best Screenplay (Meilleur scénario): winner
2015IOFCP Award-Best Director: nominated
2017FIPRESCI Prize-Best Film: winner
2019European Film Award-European Screenwriter: nominated
2019European Film Award-European Director: nominated
2019European Film Award-European Film: nominated
2019Silver Lion-Grand Jury Prize: winner
2019Golden Lion-Best Film: nominated
2019FIPRESCI Prize-Competition: winner
2019Green Drop Award-: winner
2019Sorriso Diverso Venezia Award-Best Film in a Foreign Language: winner
2020César-Best Director (Meilleur réalisateur): winner
2020César-Best Film (Meilleur film): nominated
2020César-Best Adapted Screenplay (Meilleure adaptation): winner
2020David-Best Foreign Film (Miglior Film Straniero): nominated
2020Audience Award-Audience Favorite: winner
2020Lumiere Award-Best Film (Meilleur film): nominated
2020Lumiere Award-Best Screenplay (Meilleur scénario): nominated
2020Lumiere Award-Best Director (Meilleur réalisateur): winner
2020Main Prize-International Feature Film Competition: nominated
2020Eagle-Best European Film (Najlepszy Film Europejski): nominated
2021Bodil-Best Non-American Film (Bedste ikke-amerikanske film): nominated
2021CinEuphoria-Top Ten of the Year - International Competition: winner
2021CinEuphoria-Best Director - International Competition: nominated
2021CinEuphoria-Best Film - International Competition: nominated
2021Goya-Best European Film (Mejor Película Europea): nominated
2021Sophia-Best European Film (Melhor Filme Europeu): winner