The Girl, based on Samantha Geimer’s memoir, will revisit ‘one of Hollywood’s most notorious scandals through the eyes of the person most misrepresented by it’

The Girl, based on Samantha Geimer’s memoir, will revisit ‘one of Hollywood’s most notorious scandals through the eyes of the person most misrepresented by it’

A new movie will explore the notorious Roman Polanski statutory rape scandal from the perspective of the 13-year-old girl, Samantha Geimer.

The Girl, based on Geimer’s 2013 memoir The Girl: A Life in the Shadow of Roman Polanski, will trace her time in the famous director’s orbit in the 1970s, her experience being subjected to sexual assault and the media maelstrom that followed after Polanski, then 43, was arrested in 1977 on charges of statutory rape and lewd and lascivious act with a child.

Polanski, the acclaimed director of such films as Rosemary’s Baby and Chinatown, admitted to statutory rape in a plea bargain to avoid more serious charges, but fled to France the following year after serving 42 days in jail. He has been a fugitive from the US ever since.

  • Ilandar@lemmy.today
    17·
    5 days ago

    Victims are often reduced to a stereotype or forgotten so it’s important that their stories are told too. You’re making the assumption that the only perspective this film can offer is that of a rape victim; in other words, the victim is just someone who was raped and nothing more.

    • JohnnyEnzyme@piefed.socialEnglish
      6·
      4 days ago

      The film Lilya 4-ever was both informational and moving for me, about a young Slavic woman who wanted to escape the misery of her squalid surroundings, but in trying to break out, fell in to a web of sex-slave traffickers.

      The Polanski stuff was pretty much before my time, so I’d similarly like to see a movie about this woman’s life.

      • Ilandar@lemmy.today
        6·
        4 days ago

        What are you saying? You’ve continued to reiterate that no one would need to “experience that perspective” in relation to the victim. Why not? What shouldn’t their story be explored on screen?

        • Marshezezz@lemmy.blahaj.zone
          2·
          4 days ago

          You are continually trying to force me into some defensive argument that isn’t there, making me question your motives. I’m just asking a question and your response is to defensively try to shoehorn in something that I didn’t once say. Why is this your response to me asking that question? You have yet to answer the actual question. I am genuinely curious because it seems to me that it’s almost exploitative but maybe I’m wrong about that. It isn’t necessary to sit there and try to frame me like I’m being a piece of shit for asking something when you could have just been informative. Your reaction to that being so defensive just makes me question your response. I thought what I was saying was clear in my first post.

          • Ilandar@lemmy.today
            6·
            4 days ago

            Are you saying the film is exploitative? The one based on the Geimer’s memoir? The one made in collaboration with/with the blessing of Geimer?

            Geimer, who has since forgiven Polanski and remained in periodic contact with him, said in statement: “This story has been a lifelong burden for all of us involved. I never imagined it could be transformed into something beautiful. Marina’s creativity and sensitivity made that possible – and that, to me, is a gift.”

            • Marshezezz@lemmy.blahaj.zone
              1·
              4 days ago

              Cool, thanks for finally being somewhat a little informative about it. It doesn’t state that in the post. Although I still don’t understand why you are being so combative about this.