When Warsaw , Poland , was chosen for the 2002 premiere of '' The Pianist '' , " the country exploded with pride . " According to reports , numerous former communists came to the screening and " agreed that it was a fantastic film . " In May 2002 , the film won the '' Palme d'Or '' ( Golden Palm ) award at the Cannes Film Festival , as well as Césars for Best Film and Best Director , and later the 2002 Academy Award for Best Director . Because Polanski would have been arrested in the United States , he did not attend the Academy Awards ceremony in Hollywood . After the announcement of the Best Director Award , Polanski received a standing ovation from most of those present in the theater . Actor Harrison Ford accepted the award for Polanski , and then presented the Oscar to him at the Deauville Film Festival five months later in a public ceremony . Polanski later received the Crystal Globe award for outstanding artistic contribution to world cinema at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in 2004
Cannes Film Festival
2002 Cannes Film Festival
Roman Polanski