ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: POLANSKI

(16 Dec 1999) French/Nat Story: Polanski at Academy of Fine Arts Location: Paris, France Date: 15 December 1999 Film director ROMAN POLANSKI was inducted Wednesday into France’s prestigious Academy of Fine Arts in honor of his contributions to modern moviemaking. “How could I ever have dreamed that one day I would be welcomed in this prestigious assembly,“ said Polanski, 66, whose latest thriller, “The Ninth Gate“ starring JOHNNY DEPP, is about to be released. The director of “Rosemary’s Baby“ and “Chinatown“ among others, Roman Polanski was born in Poland but has since become a French citizen. He told his audience Wednesday that he discovered the movies just after World War II in 1946 when as a boy of 13 he saw a French movie, “The Boulevard of Crime.“ Numerous celebrities and movie stars were on hand for Wednesday’s ceremony, including Catherine Deneuve, Kristin ScottThomas, and Fanny Ardant.