Oscar winning director Roman Polanski, 85, has filed suit against the Motion Picture Academy for his 2018 expulsion.

Polanski became a member of the Academy in 1968 and continued until he says he received an unsigned letter from them on May 3, 2018. He says he asked the Academy for reconsideration. A panel was convened on January 26, 2019, at which neither Polanski or his attorney appeared. They declined to re-instate him.

Polanski is suing on the grounds of not having a fair hearing or even any notice that he was being expelled.

Attorney Harold Braun represents Polanski. They are asking for a copy of the full administrative record from the meetings at which Polanski was ousted.

Polanski won Best Director for “The Pianist” in 2003. He was nominated in 1975 and in 1981, respectively, for directing “Chinatown” and “Tess.” In 1969 he was nominated for his “Rosemary’s Baby” screenplay. The “Tess” nomination and the “Pianist” win, as well as Adrian Brody’s Best Actor win in 2003, came years after his famous scandal over his arrest and charges of having sex with a 13 year old girl, which was well known to all Oscar voters.

In 1977, Polanski was arrested and pleaded guilty in 1978 to to the charge of engaging in unlawful sexual intercourse.  He served 42 days in Chino State Prison was released pending a hearing at which his lawyers were assured he would receive probation. When he learned that would not be the case, Polanski fled the U.S. He has lived in France ever since then. His “victim,” Samantha Geimer, who was then 13, has since argued publicly for the case to be dismissed.

Tonight, Geimer Tweeted: “Off to my mom’s 80th birthday party, are any of you old enough to remember when she was called a gold digging whore? Think of that when you still need to shit on Roman 41 years later. Ugly is as ugly does, and neither my family or his is that.”

Thierry Fremaux and Pierre Lescure announced the selections of the 2019 Cannes Film Festival this morning. It’s so far very light on Hollywood films and stars. Elton John bio pic “Rocketman” will be there. But Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a  Time in Hollywood” is so far not ready and not announced. I was first to tell you this would happen.

“It’s not ready. We hope it will be ready,” says Fremaux. The post production isn’t finished. Also James Gray’s “Ad Astra” isn’t ready.

They first discussed the new poster, featuring the recently gone Agnes Varda taken when she was just 26 years old. She was the first female director of the French New Wave. The photo is an icon of Cannes. They also talked about celebrating the 72nd year of the Cannes film market. Fremaux thanked Christine Aime, who is moving from dealing with the press to a new role of heading Archive and Memory.There was also mention of Claude Lansmann, director of “Shoah,” who recently passed away. Fremaux said the theme of this year is many thing including love and revolt. This year, he says, is very important because it’s the anniversary of the Festival that didn’t happen, in 1939, because of World War II.

This is 90% of the official selection. Some films aren’t ready, cross your fingers they’ll be ready. He’s referring to Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” which this column was FIRST to report is not ready so far and can’t be announced.

Opening film is Jim Jarmusch’s “The Dead Don’t Die,” which will open in the Cannes on the same day it opens in France. This is the biggest American film, with Bill Murray, Chloe Sevigny, Tilda Swinton, Steve Buscemi, and Adam Driver— who’s had his Broadway schedule rearranged so he can be there.

Terrence Malick – “The Hidden Life,” about World War II.  No American actors, and Malick will not be there, or if he is, we won’t see him.

Pedro Almodovar– “Pain and Glory” with Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas.

Ira Sachs — “Frankie” Isabelle Huppert stars with Marisa Tomei, Greg Kinnear, and Brendan Gleeson.

Marco Bellocchio – “The Traitor”

Dardennes Brothers — “The Young Ahmed”

Claude Lelouch– Out of competition. An update of “A Man and a Woman” starring Monica Bellucci.

Nicolas Winding Refn — Two episodes of a new TV series.

Werner Herzog — a documentary.

Abel Ferrara — sent a film from Rome. Willem daFoe stars in not a documentary but a “realistic” movie (good luck with that)

“Atlantique”

Xavier Dolan — “Matthias and Maxime”

“Les Miserables”