An actress who is accusing film director Roman Polanski of rape says she is willing to defend her story in court.
Valentine Monnier alleged in a French daily newspaper that the film maker had attacked her in a ski chalet in 1975 when she was 18 and he 42.
She said she felt compelled to make the claim, which Polanski rejects, in November after the release of his film J’accuse.
Polanski’s lawyer Hervé Témime said his client “firmly denies all accusations of rape”. Mr Témime also said he is working towards bringing legal action against La Parisien, which ran the actress’s allegations.
Speaking exclusively to the Sunday People, Ms Monnier, 63, said: “To be raped is a concrete and violent fact that can only be discussed further in court.”
Last month J’accuse controversially won Polanski best director at the Césars, France’s version of the Oscars. Outside the ceremony in Paris activists demonstrated against his nomination. He did not attend the awards.
When his win was announced Adèle Haenel, one of France’s most prominent young actresses, stormed out of the room, waving an arm in disgust and appearing to say, “Shame”.
Ms Monnier said: “I decided to testify after all these years, given the release of the film J’accuse. Debates on impunity for sexual violence have opened up in the French world of cinema, literature, sport, and I sincerely hope they find consensus for the benefit of society.”
Polanski, 86, continues to face a prison sentence in America after admitting unlawful sex with a 13-year-old in March 1977.
A judge in the case had accepted a plea bargain in return for Polanski’s admission but, fearing he would renege on the deal and send him to prison, the director failed to answer bail, and fled to Paris in January 1978.
He has refused to return to the US or go to any country with an extradition deal with America.
France does not extradite its citizens to foreign states.
So despite his conviction for having sex with a child, Polanski, whose movies include Rosemary’s Baby, Chinatown and The Pianist, can work and live in Paris with his actress wife Emmanuelle Seigner, 53, and their two children, Morgane and Elvis.
Mr Témime said: “Roman Polanski strongly denies all accusation of rape.
“On a personal note, I can’t help but add that the alleged action took place 40 years ago.
“That they were never, throughout all these long years, brought to the attention of a judiciary authority or to Mr Polanski.”
He said: “Under these conditions, I strongly protest the release, on the eve of the film’s release, of these accusations.”
Mr Temime added that he was working to bring a legal action against La Parisen on behalf of his client.
