‘Viva Polanski!’ Says Roman Polanski’s Producer After Lamenting That ‘The Palace’ May Not Be Released in France
variety.comNick Vivarelli International Correspondent Roman Polanski’s Italian producer Luca Barbareschi got emotional at the press conference for “The Palace,” a black comedy that is the director’s new work and premieres at the Venice Film Festival today. “It’s been very difficult to make this film,” said Barbareschi, a multi-hyphenate who also stars in “The Palace.” “Polanski is not easy [to finance]” he added, noting that “there is a hole – France – in the middle of this film,” since French companies refused to participate in its production.
Polanski’s previous film, “An Officer and a Spy,” a period drama about the Dreyfus affair, scooped the Grand Jury Prize at Venice, won best director at the Cesar Awards and was one of the highest grossing French films of 2019.
But the film’s Cesar win sparked such a massive scandal in France that it prompted a complete overhaul of the leadership of the awards org.
Now that “The Palace” got made, “We are hoping that the movie will be released in France, because it would be a damage for France [not to have it],” Barbareschi also lamented. “Hopefully the movie will be bought.
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