People News

Roman Polanski enjoys wife's performance at Swiss Jazz Fest

By April MacIntyre Jul 18, 2010, 19:45 GMT

Polish-born film director Roman Polanski (L) makes his first public appearance since being released from house arrest, at the Montreux Jazz Festival late 17 July 2010 when he watched his wife, French actress and singer Emmanuelle Seigner (right) perform. EPA/LIONEL FLUSIN / MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL

Switzerland is home to a famous annual Jazz fesitval, and director Roman Polanski attended the Montreux Jazz Festival on Saturday to watch his wife perform on stage.

The 76-year-old film director arrived at the Lake Geneva festival Saturday to watch his wife, actress and singer Emmanuelle Seigner, performed shortly after his arrival, wearing a flannel shirt, a black hat and jeans.

ABC News reports that Polanski did an interview earlier Saturday with Swiss television, excerpts of which were broadcast on France-2 television, Polanski thanked "the millions of people who kept sending me messages of support during those nine long months."

"I would also certainly thank my wife Emmanuelle (and) my children, without whom I would have never been able to hold onto my dignity and perseverance," Polanski said.

Polanski was freed Monday from seven months of house arrest at his Swiss chalet when Switzerland's government refused to extradite him to the United States.

U.S. authorities were trying to get Polanski back in the USA to answer charges from over 30 years ago of the director having sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977.

"For the moment, I'm happy to be free and to be able to do the things I was kept from doing," Polanski said.

His tracking bracelet was cut off.  "They told me to throw it away, that's it," Polanski said of the authorities.