Death and the Maiden

film by Polanski [1994]

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July 19, 2026

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The film Death and the Maiden (1994) was directed by Roman Polanski and is based on the 1990 play of the same name by Chilean author Ariel Dorfman. The play, and subsequently the film, centers on Paulina Salas, a former political prisoner in an unnamed Latin American country. Her life is disrupted when her husband brings home a man she believes is the doctor who tortured and raped her years prior during a period of authoritarian rule. The narrative explores themes of justice, revenge, and the psychological impact of political oppression. The film is a psychological drama rooted in the human rights issues of Chile, but its themes resonate globally.12

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Roman Polanski
… (1992), an erotic comedy; and Death and the Maiden (1994), a psychological drama adapted from a play by the Chilean author Ariel Dorfman. In 1989 Polanski married the French actress Emmanuelle Seigner, who starred in his films Frantic (1988), Bitter Moon (1992), The Ninth Gate (1999), La Vénus à la…
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… (1992), an erotic comedy; and Death and the Maiden (1994), a psychological drama adapted from a play by the Chilean author Ariel Dorfman. In 1989 Polanski married the French actress Emmanuelle Seigner, who starred in his films Frantic (1988), Bitter Moon (1992), The Ninth Gate (1999), La Vénus à la…
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Ben Kingsley
Impactful roles: Schindler’s List and Sexy Beast
…his neighbor in Roman Polanski’s Death and the Maiden (1994). In 1996 he starred as the jester Feste in a film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
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…his neighbor in Roman Polanski’s Death and the Maiden (1994). In 1996 he starred as the jester Feste in a film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
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