Jerzy Kawalerowicz

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Jerzy Kawalerowicz (January 19, 1922 – December 27, 2007) was a Polish film director.

Born in Gwoździec, Poland (now Gvozdets, Ukraine), Jerzy Kawalerowicz was noted for his powerful, detail-oriented imagery and the depth of ideas in his films. After working as an assistant director, he made his directorial debut with the 1951 film The Village Mill (Gromada). He was a leading figure in the Polish Film School, and his films Shadow (Cień, 1956) and Night Train (Pociąg, 1959) constitute some of that movement's best work.

Other noted works by Kawalerowicz include Mother Joan of the Angels (Matka Joanna od aniolów, 1961) and a 1966 adaptation of Bolesław Prus' historical novel, Pharaoh, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

In 1955 Kawalerowicz was appointed head of the prestigious KADR production unit. He held that position again in 1972. He always resisted pressures from the communist administration to produce propaganda films. His studio produced some of the best Polish movies by Andrzej Wajda, Tadeusz Konwicki and Juliusz Machulski.

In 1983 he alienated some of his peers by signing communist government reports criticizing filmmakers aligned with Solidarity.^{[citation needed]} He died on December 27, 2007 in Warsaw, Poland.

[edit] Selected filmography

• Quo Vadis? (2001)
• Bronstein's Children (Bronsteins Kinder , 1991)
• The Hostage of Europe (Jeniec Europy, 1989)
• Austeria (The Inn) (1983)
• Chance Meeting on the Atlantic (Spotkanie na Atlantyku, 1980)
• Death of a President (Smierc prezydenta , 1978)
• Pharaoh (Faraon, 1966)
• Mother Joan of the Angels (Matka Joanna od aniolów, 1961)
• Night Train (Pociąg, 1959)
• The Real End of the Great War (Prawdziwy koniec wielkiej wojny, 1957)
• Shadow (Cien, 1956)
• Under the Phrygian Star (Pod gwiazda frygijska, 1954)
• Celuloza (1953)
• The Village Mill (Gromada, 1952)

[edit] See also

• Cinema of Poland

[edit] External links

• Jerzy Kawalerowicz at the Internet Movie Database
• Interview, 2001