Matthew Libatique, an Oscar-nominated American cinematographer, has been arrested and charged with assault of public officials during his stay as a guest at Poland’s Camerimage film festival.
The festival celebrates the art of cinematography and regularly hosts the world’s top directors of photography. A Star Is Born is part of the main competition field at the festival.
Libatique, who was nominated for an Academy Award in 2010 for his work on Darren Aronofksy’s Black Swan, is said to have struck out at paramedics and police who had been called to a hotel in the central Polish city of Bydgoszcz.
The cinematographer, who recently worked on Bradley Cooper’s remake of A Star Is Born, was charged Wednesday following the alleged incident early Tuesday morning.
An ambulance was called after Libatique was said to have been seen “staggering and an altercation occurred.”
“The patient suddenly became aggressive toward medical rescuers, used offensive works and hit the head of the emergency medical team,” ambulance service official Krzysztof Wisniewski told Polish broadcaster TVN24.
A paramedic suffered a broken tooth and other injuries, he added.
Following the incident the filmmaker was taken to hospital. A Polish police spokeswoman told media outlets that Libatique appeared to be heavily intoxicated and had facial injuries.
Libatique is due in court Thursday and, if convicted, could face a prison sentence of up to three years under Polish law.
Kazimierz Suwala, festival office manager for Camerimage, told The Hollywood Reporter: “Mr. Libatique was involved in an alleged incident that led to his detention and is being held on a potential charge of assaulting a police officer and a paramedic here in Bydgoszcz. This is now a legal matter that the EnergaCamerimage Festival is not in a position to discuss. We can make no further comments at this time.”
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