FILM SCHOOL IN LODZ

The Lodz Film School is housed in the former residence of Lodz factory owner Oskar Kon. The school’s history dates back to the 1940s, when Wyższe Studium Filmowe [Higher Film School] was established at Instytut Filmowy [Film Institute], which was founded in 1947, and merged in subsequent years with the Film Department of Wyższa Szkoła Sztuk Plastycznych [State Higher School of Fine Arts] (later Akademia Sztuk Pięknych im. Władysława Strzemińskiego [the Władysław Strzemiński Academy of Fine Arts]) and Wyższa Szkoła Aktorska im. Leona Schillera [the Leon Schiller Higher School of Acting].

The Lodz Film School is a now legendary university that has educated many outstanding filmmakers over the decades of its operation: directors, cinematographers, animators, photographers, screenwriters, editors, film and television production managers and actors. Several of them can boast the most important award of the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which is the Oscar: in 1983 it was won by Zbigniew Rybczyński for the film “Tango”, made at Studio Małych Form Filmowych “Se-Ma-For” in Lodz [“Se-Ma-For” animation Studio]; in 2000 it was awarded to Andrzej Wajda for lifetime achievement, while in 2003 the Oscar was awarded to Roman Polański for the film “The Pianist” (Polish title: “Pianista”) in the category “best director”.

We should not forget the entire list of filmmakers associated with the Film School who received nominations for the golden statuette.