CULTURE ‘An Officer and a Spy’ by Polanski wins prestigious award in Venice

By Pagine Ebraiche staff

After being praised by both the critics and the public, Roman Polanski’s “An Officer and a Spy” won the Grand Jury Prize at the 76th Venice International Film Festival.

The film, considered by many the umpteenth masterpiece by the Polish-born director, narrates the vicissitudes of captain Alfred Dreyfus, a symbol of anti-Semitism in the late nineteenth century. Unjustly condemned for espionage against his country, Dreyfus was degraded and confined for four years on Devil Island. He was eventually found innocent.

Polanski had announced that he was going to work on the story in 2012 at the Cannes Film Festival. The script was written by Thomas Harris.

“The story of Dreyfus, Polanski said, is still of great importance in a world where witch-hunts against minorities, paranoia of security, secret military courts, government covert actions and angry press still exist.”