New Film to Re-examine Roman Polanski Scandal Through Victim's Lens
A forthcoming cinematic project promises to reframe one of Hollywood's most infamous scandals by centering the narrative on the perspective of the young victim. The Girl, an adaptation of Samantha Geimer's 2013 memoir, will delve into the statutory rape case involving acclaimed director Roman Polanski from Geimer's viewpoint as a 13-year-old girl.
Reclaiming a Narrative Long Shaped by Others
The film aims to restore agency to Geimer, whose story has been largely defined by media sensationalism and public speculation for decades. According to production statements, The Girl will revisit what has been described as "one of Hollywood's most notorious scandals through the eyes of the person most misrepresented by it." The narrative will trace Geimer's experiences in Polanski's orbit during the 1970s, the sexual assault she endured, and the subsequent media frenzy that erupted following Polanski's 1977 arrest on charges of statutory rape and lewd acts with a child.
Polanski, the celebrated filmmaker behind classics such as Rosemary's Baby and Chinatown, admitted to statutory rape through a plea bargain arrangement designed to avoid more serious charges. After serving just 42 days in jail, he fled to France in 1978 and has remained a fugitive from United States justice ever since.
Creative Team and Casting Details
The project marks the feature writing and directing debut for French-American filmmaker Marina Ziolkowski, whose short film 19 earned a César nomination in 2021. Ziolkowski expressed being profoundly moved by Geimer's "clear, courageous" voice while reading her memoir, noting that this voice had been "long erased from the public narrative."
The director emphasized that The Girl is fundamentally "not about Roman Polanski" but rather represents "a deeply human act of reclamation" focused on restoring Geimer's complexity and perspective. The film will be told entirely through Samantha's memories and inner life, creating what producers describe as an intimate and immersive experience.
Casting choices include:
- Carolyn Kachen, a 13-year-old American-Ukrainian newcomer, in the title role of Samantha Geimer
- Dree Hemingway portraying Geimer's mother Susan
- Gore Abrams playing Geimer's father Bob
Producers revealed that Kachen was selected from hundreds of young actors following what they characterized as "a striking audition that signals a breakout talent."
Geimer's Perspective and Ongoing Relationship with Polanski
Samantha Geimer, who has publicly forgiven Polanski and maintained periodic contact with him over the years, offered a statement regarding the film project. She described the scandal as "a lifelong burden for all of us involved" and expressed gratitude that Ziolkowski's "creativity and sensitivity" had transformed her painful experiences into something she considers "beautiful."
The film's logline outlines how the production will depict the media storm that engulfed Geimer and her family, noting that she was "hounded by paparazzi and stripped of privacy at the moment where she most needed protection." The narrative will follow mother and daughter as they "fight to reclaim Samantha's voice and preserve what remains of her childhood."
Production Context and Broader Allegations
The Girl represents one of the relatively few European productions to secure a United States tax credit, with filming scheduled to commence in Los Angeles later this year. The project emerges against a backdrop of additional allegations against Polanski that have surfaced in recent years.
Between 2017 and 2019, four other women came forward with accusations against the director regarding incidents from the 1970s. Three of these accusers were minors at the time of the alleged abuses, including artist Marianne Barnard who stated that Polanski sexually assaulted her when she was just ten years old. In 2010, British actor Charlotte Lewis accused Polanski of sexually assaulting her in 1983 when she was sixteen.
Polanski, now aged 92, has consistently denied all allegations against him. Recent legal developments include:
- A French court acquitting Polanski of defamation charges in May 2024 after he denied raping Charlotte Lewis during her teenage years
- Another lawsuit concerning an alleged 1973 sexual assault of a sixteen-year-old being dismissed in October following a settlement reached to "the mutual satisfaction of both parties"
The Girl therefore arrives at a moment when public reassessment of historical abuse cases continues to evolve, offering what its creators hope will be a more nuanced and victim-centered examination of events that have been predominantly framed through the lens of celebrity and legal proceedings for nearly five decades.
