Polanski wins French Cesar award

PARIS, Feb. 26 (UPI) -- Roman Polanski received the Best Director Award for "The Ghost Writer" at the 36th annual Cesars, the French equivalent of Hollywood's Academy Awards.

Polanski, who lives in France, referred to his legal troubles when he accepted the award Friday night, The New York Times reported. The film, set in Massachusetts, had to be shot in Germany because Polanski faces a sexual assault charge in the United States, and he completed the editing while under house arrest in Switzerland.

"I finished this film while in jail so I would like to thank all the people who helped me and supported me until the very end," he said.

"Of Gods and Men," about French monks in Algeria during a civil war, was honored as Best Picture.

U.S. director Quentin Tarantino received an honorary Cesar for his career achievements. Tarantino received a standing ovation after he thanked the audience in the Theatre du Chatelet in English but ended with a shout of "Vive la France."

Switzerland refused to extradite Polanski, who has admitted having sex with a 13-year-old more than three decades ago. The Polish-born director received an Oscar in 2002 for "The Pianist" but did not come to Los Angeles for the ceremony.