Roman Polankski finally has a bit of good news. Following the Chinatown director’s arrest in Switzerland in September, when he was locked up awaiting extradition hearings to see if he’d be sent back to the US to answer statutory rapes charges that he fled from in the late 70s, he’s been locked up in a Swiss jail.
Although he’s asked several times for bail, judges have previously decided he was too much of a flight risk, but that’s now changed. A Swiss court has agreed to release Polanski on $4.5 million bail, which should allow him to leave prison in a few days. However he won’t just be able to do as he pleases, as he’ll have to go to his chalet in Gstaad and stay under house arrest, monitored by an electronic bracelet. The court was also assured that Polanksi’s age and family guaranteed he wouldn’t make a run for it.
Polanski will now have to reamin in Switzerland while he fights the extradition request, with no final decision expected for several months. It’ll also make it easier for him to finish his film, The Ghost, which he hopes to have ready to compete at the Berlin Film Festival.