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Polish director born August 18, 1933 to Jewish parents; Polanski's mother died in a concentration camp but Polanski avoided incarceration there and spent the war wandering the countryside of Europe. His first major film Knife in the Water (1962) was the first significant Polish film after the War that was not associated with the war theme.

Laureate of the Palme d'Or (Gold Palm) award on the Cannes festival on 26th May 2002 for "The Pianist".

In 1968 Polanski went to Hollywood where he gained reputation with the sophisticated psychological thriller Rosemary's Baby (1968). After his wife Sharon Tate was murdered by Charles Manson's gang while eight months pregnant in 1969, he returned to Europe.

In 1974 he returned to the USA with the film Chinatown (1974). The film seemed to be the beginning of a promising Hollywood career as it brought Polanski an Academy Award nomination. However, Polanski got involved in a scandal surrounding statutory rape charges and fled the United States; he returned later to face the charges, was convicted, and fled again.

He received another Academy Award nomination for Tess (1979). Since then Polanski spent his time in France and Poland, and continues to direct movies and theater and act in films. He now lives with Emmanuelle Seigner, they have two children: Morgane and Elvis.

Filmography as a director (complete from 1967):

• The Pianist (2001)
• The Ninth Gate (1999)
• Death and the Maiden (1994)
• Bitter Moon (1992)
• Frantic (1988)
• Pirates (1986)
• Tess (1979)
• Le Locataire (aka The Tenant) (1976)
• Chinatown (1974)
• What? (aka Diary of Forbidden Dreams) (1973)
• Macbeth (1971)
• Rosemary's Baby (1968)
• The Fearless Vampire Killers (aka Dance of the Vampires) (1967)
• Knife in the Water (aka Nóz w wodzie) (1962)