Andrzej Wajda

For the world, he epitomised Polish cinema. The political and social situation of his homeland became the leitmotif of his work. He translated the classics of Polish literature into the language of film. A titan of work.

He was born on 6 March 1926 in Suwałki. His father, Jakub, was a professional military officer, his mother, Aniela née Białowąs, a teacher. When his father was promoted to the rank of captain, the whole family moved to Radom. In 1939, Jakub left the city with the 72^nd Infantry Regiment to take part in preparations for the defence of the country. Years later, the family learned that he had been a victim of the Katyń massacre.

The young Wajda spent the occupation in Radom, where he worked as a porter, storekeeper, cooper and draughtsman in the railway office, but also served as a Home Army liaison officer. After the war, he began to study painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow. In autumn of 1948, he joined the Self-education Group led by Andrzej Wróblewski. In July of the following year, however, he abandoned his studies in Kraków to move to Łódź and start studying at the Directing Department of the Łódź Film School. He completed his studies in 1953 and defended his diploma in 1960.

In 1972-83 he was head of the ‘X’ Film Group, in 1978-83 the president of the Polish Filmmakers Association. In the 1960s he lectured at the Directing Department of the PWSFTviT. Awarded many times, he left behind dozens of films, the best known of which are ‘Canal’, ‘Ashes and Diamonds’, ‘Innocent Sorcerers’, ‘Ashes’, ‘Promised Land’, ‘Man of Marble’, ‘The Maids of Wilko’, ‘Man of Iron’, ‘Pan Tadeusz’, ‘Revenge’, ‘Katyn’, ‘Powidoki’. He was also involved in theatre activities. He staged plays in the theatres in Gdańsk, Warsaw, Cracow and abroad. Out of his love for Japanese culture he founded the Manggha Museum in Cracow. He founded the Andrzej Wajda Master School of Film Directing in Warsaw. He was socially and politically involved.

‘Promised Land’ was the first of Wajda's four films to earn Oscar nominations. The director created a story in which the protagonist, on a par with the characters, was the city itself, at once cruel and overwhelming, but also magnificent in its energy and unbridled power.

Andrzej Wajda received the Academy Award for lifetime achievement (the first awarded to a Polish cinema director) on 26 March 2000 in Los Angeles. In an interview with Time magazine a few days before the ceremony, he stated: ‘I am very satisfied with my life, I am happy with all the opportunities this life has given me. If you were to ask me what I am most proud of, it would be the fact that I can receive this honour here. I live in a faraway country, I create in a language unfamiliar to you, but I'm here, I'm talking to you, I'm enjoying the recognition and I'm about to receive an Oscar. There is no greater satisfaction than being honoured by so many famous American filmmakers. Maybe there is such a thing as a universal language of film after all...’.

The award was presented to him by the famous American actress Jane Fonda. He received a storm of applause. The audience listened to the Pole standing up.

He died on 9 October 2016 in Warsaw.

Andrzej Wajda during the making of the film 'Promised Land'. 1974. Photo: PAP/CAF/A. Zbraniecki

For the world, he epitomised Polish cinema. The political and social situation of his homeland became the leitmotif of his work. He translated the classics of Polish literature into the language of film. A titan of work.

He was born on 6 March 1926 in Suwałki. His father, Jakub, was a professional military officer, his mother, Aniela née Białowąs, a teacher. When his father was promoted to the rank of captain, the whole family moved to Radom. In 1939, Jakub left the city with the 72^nd Infantry Regiment to take part in preparations for the defence of the country. Years later, the family learned that he had been a victim of the Katyń massacre.

The young Wajda spent the occupation in Radom, where he worked as a porter, storekeeper, cooper and draughtsman in the railway office, but also served as a Home Army liaison officer. After the war, he began to study painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow. In autumn of 1948, he joined the Self-education Group led by Andrzej Wróblewski. In July of the following year, however, he abandoned his studies in Kraków to move to Łódź and start studying at the Directing Department of the Łódź Film School. He completed his studies in 1953 and defended his diploma in 1960.

In 1972-83 he was head of the ‘X’ Film Group, in 1978-83 the president of the Polish Filmmakers Association. In the 1960s he lectured at the Directing Department of the PWSFTviT. Awarded many times, he left behind dozens of films, the best known of which are ‘Canal’, ‘Ashes and Diamonds’, ‘Innocent Sorcerers’, ‘Ashes’, ‘Promised Land’, ‘Man of Marble’, ‘The Maids of Wilko’, ‘Man of Iron’, ‘Pan Tadeusz’, ‘Revenge’, ‘Katyn’, ‘Powidoki’. He was also involved in theatre activities. He staged plays in the theatres in Gdańsk, Warsaw, Cracow and abroad. Out of his love for Japanese culture he founded the Manggha Museum in Cracow. He founded the Andrzej Wajda Master School of Film Directing in Warsaw. He was socially and politically involved.

‘Promised Land’ was the first of Wajda's four films to earn Oscar nominations. The director created a story in which the protagonist, on a par with the characters, was the city itself, at once cruel and overwhelming, but also magnificent in its energy and unbridled power.

Andrzej Wajda received the Academy Award for lifetime achievement (the first awarded to a Polish cinema director) on 26 March 2000 in Los Angeles. In an interview with Time magazine a few days before the ceremony, he stated: ‘I am very satisfied with my life, I am happy with all the opportunities this life has given me. If you were to ask me what I am most proud of, it would be the fact that I can receive this honour here. I live in a faraway country, I create in a language unfamiliar to you, but I'm here, I'm talking to you, I'm enjoying the recognition and I'm about to receive an Oscar. There is no greater satisfaction than being honoured by so many famous American filmmakers. Maybe there is such a thing as a universal language of film after all...’.

The award was presented to him by the famous American actress Jane Fonda. He received a storm of applause. The audience listened to the Pole standing up. He died on 9 October 2016 in Warsaw.

Andrzej Wajda during the making of the film 'Promised Land'. 1974. Photo: PAP/CAF/A. Zbraniecki