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 Numerous celebrities and movie stars were on hand for Wednesday s ceremony, including Catherine Deneuve, Kristin ScottThomas, and Fanny Ardant.