Director Roman Polanski has today stated that he plans to sue the French media on a charge of invasion of privacy after a French journalist took a photo of him in his Swiss home.

Polanski has been living under house arrest in the Swiss Alps since the 4th December, awaiting extradition to the US to face judgement for the criminal charge of having sex with a minor back in 1977. Since being housebound in December, the French media have been trying desperately to get a look at the award-winning director, to not much avail. The journalist who finally managed to get a shot (with Polanski’s face only slightly visible behind some curtains) published his photo in a local French paper and has since been hit with a lawsuit from Polanski’s lawyers. The Polanksi estate claims that the photo is a gross invasion of privacy, and are suing the newspaper for 10,000 euros. They are also suing two other publications on similar charges, for another 10,000 and 50,000 euros. The papers’ argument is that the photo is a legitimate depiction of the director’s life under house arrest and thus they are not breaking any laws in displaying it.

There will be a ruling made on the 16th Jan, but we can’t help but think that Polanski really should let these things lie. Charged for sex with a minor and now claiming invasion of privacy? The jokes write themselves…