"Consuming a piece of art is two biographies meeting: the biography of the artist that might disrupt the viewing of the art; the biography of the audience member that might shape the viewing of the art. This occurs in every case." - Claire Dederer, Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma

Chinatown presents us with a stark example where those two biographies converge: the film is critically acclaimed as one of the best films of the 1970s, if not of all time. It was nominated for 11 Oscars®, 11 BAFTAs, 7 Golden Globes.

In 1977 the film’s director Roman Polanski was arrested for drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl. He subsequently fled the US and continued his career in Europe. Can we – should we – separate the art from the artist? This panel will explore the ethical and moral questions opened up by the inclusion of Chinatown in this year’s festival.

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