Awards end in chaos after Polanski win

OUTRAGED actresses walked out of the French “Oscars” after convicted sex offender Roman Polanski won the best director award.

The Polish-french director won three awards for An Officer And A Spy at the Cesar Awards in Paris.

In 1977 he pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with a 13year-old girl but fled the US for France before he could be sentenced.

The prestigious awards event, the French equivalent of the Oscars, were plunged into controversy after Polanski, right, received 12 nominations.

Actress Adele Haenel, who has alleged she was sexually abused as a child by another director, was one of those who walked out of the ceremony after Polanski’s triumph was announced.

She stood up and left, reportedly saying “shame”, and was soon followed by director Celine Sciamma on Friday.

Florence Foresti was presenting the ceremony before Polanski’s award was announced and did not return to the stage. The actress and comedian later posted on Instagram a black screen with the word “disgusted” spelled in white. Polanski, 86, did not attend the event after the director said he feared for his safety. The decision to honour Polanski at this year’s awards angered feminist groups who led calls for a boycott.

Groups of protesters gathered outside the venue and clashed with police as they tried to enter the building. Cesar’s entire board resigned in February but a general meeting is reportedly planned to elect new members to focus on reforms.

Before the ceremony, France’s culture minister Franck Riester said it would be “symbolically bad” if Polanski won the prize “given the stance we must take against sexual and sexist violence”.

The Cesar award is considered the highest film honour in France.