Features
ANDRZEJ WAJDA. The Complete Works of a Polish Master
Andrzej Wajda ‘s recognition goes beyond the honorary Oscar. He is a director whose films are listed among the best in the history of cinema.
He is a true veteran of contemporary cinema, acclaimed both in Poland and internationally. This recognition goes beyond the honorary Oscar for lifetime achievement, which was a mere formality. He is a director whose films are listed among the best in the history of cinema. Importantly, this acclaim comes not from popularity rankings, which follow different rules, but from voices such as Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola, who count Ashes and Diamonds among their favorite films (both of whom are also veterans, though they debuted several to many years later than Wajda).
Is he the best Polish director? Here, he would have to compete with Roman Polanski for the throne, but when it comes to directors who created in Poland, Wajda has no equal. One can elevate individual films by Has, Kieślowski, Munk, Kawalerowicz, Różewicz, Bareja, and Machulski, but the rich oeuvre of Wajda, its significance for Polish culture, and his ability to comment on history and contemporary times cannot be ignored.
He achieved this status very quickly – his first three films already laid the foundation for the monument of a great cinema Artist. There is no exaggeration in these words. Proof? The following list of 38 films, which we discuss individually, along with an evaluation.
A Generation (1954)
Starring: Tadeusz Łomnicki, Tadeusz Janczar, Ryszard Kotys, Urszula Modrzyńska, Roman Polanski
Major awards: Łagów (Lubuskie Film Summer) – award for Andrzej Wajda for the debut of the decade, State Award special mentions for Tadeusz Janczar and Tadeusz Łomnicki (best male roles), State Award special mention for Andrzej Wajda (direction), State Award special mention for Andrzej Lipman (cinematography)
A Generation heralded the Polish Film School. It was made during the era of socialist realism in art and while the post-war trauma was still palpable. The director’s feature debut is still widely discussed today, considering its propaganda message, historical portrayal, and artistic form. Wajda depicts a generation coming of age during World War II in German-occupied Warsaw. The youth face the dilemma of whether to fight in defense of the country. The choice of which group to join – the People’s Guard or the Home Army – is not a dilemma; the former is favored and wins. Wajda presents the inner turmoil of the young, their naivety and maturation, their engagement, optimism, and the joys and sorrows of daily life in the occupied city.
The youth contrast with the generation of their parents. The action takes place mainly on the city streets and in a carpentry shop where young apprentices and old hands meet, conspire, and secretly engage in political activities. It’s a mix of political, historical, and patriotic themes. The film features future stars of Polish cinema both on-screen (in main and minor roles) and behind the scenes (J. Lipman, K. Kutz, A. Ford). The acting is generally good, though some scenes are overly theatrical. A Generation has moments of weak narration and sometimes overly pompous, unrealistic dialogues. However, elements like neo-realistic framing and lighting (e.g., the beginning of the film), internal editing, symbolic shots (the scene with Jaśek and the stairs!), tension-building music (moments of joy and dread), and group shots are surprising and original in this black-and-white film, making it worth watching.
[Ewelina Świeca]
Kanal (1957)
Starring: Tadeusz Janczar, Teresa Iżewska, Wieńczysław Gliński, Tadeusz Gwiazdowski, Emil Karewicz, Stanisław Mikulski, Władysław Sheybal, Teresa Berezowska
Major awards: Special Jury Prize at Cannes (and a nomination for the Palme d’Or), Gold Medal in the category of young directors’ feature films at the World Festival of Youth and Students in Moscow, Golden Duck (awarded by the magazine “Film”) for best Polish film, award from the Brazilian Association of Film Critics
It’s September 25, 1944, the 56th day of the Warsaw Uprising.
A unit under the command of Lieutenant “Zadra” attempts to break through the sewers from Mokotów to the city center. Wajda’s film, based on a story by the insurgent Jerzy Stefan Stawiński, is a harrowing study of tragedy. There is no chance of a happy ending – for anyone. The uprising is dying out, and the hope of the first days has vanished. What remains is exhaustion, doubt, wounds, and a sense of duty battling with indifference, revealing all weaknesses and character flaws. Much of the film takes place in the suffocating, closed space of the sewers, creating a claustrophobic atmosphere of entrapment. We can only helplessly watch as the characters gradually head toward doom, which they are doomed to from the start.
This doom takes various forms, but each reflects failure: the failure of this lost underground group and the decimated uprising units facing death, captivity, camps, executions, and ruins. It is hard to shake off the impression Kanal leaves. For a long time, the melody played by the despairing Michał, the sound of a shot from a small Walther, the image of “Korab” and “Stokrotka” dying of exhaustion while clinging to a grate, and above all, the figure of “Zadra” staggering and turning back to save his soldiers, none of whom survived, linger in the memory. [Karolina Chymkowska]
Ashes and Diamonds (1958)
Starring: Zbigniew Cybulski, Ewa Czyżewska, Wacław Zastrzeżyński, Adam Pawlikowski, Bogumił Kobiela
Major awards: Venice (International Federation of Film Critics Award), Golden Duck (Best Polish Film), BAFTA (nominations: Best Film from any Source and Z.
Cybulski for Best Foreign Actor)
It is hard to write anything original about Ashes and Diamonds. Every sentence in this description has been said before—this film has been so thoroughly interpreted and analyzed. Ashes and Diamonds delivered many unforgettable symbolic scenes. In this film, Andrzej Wajda achieved mastery. Lighting glasses of spirit, a conversation with a lover under an upside-down cross, or Maciek’s death on a garbage dump (of history) have long escaped their cinematic context. The power and uniqueness of this work are undoubtedly evidenced by the fact that the film has not aged in any respect. The acting, composition of many scenes, and cinematography (depth of field and focus) still impress.
The passion with which Andrzej Wajda created this film is palpable. It is also a film that remains relevant. It is not only approached when discussing the situation of Poles during and immediately after World War II. [Maciej Niedźwiedzki]
Lotna / Speed (1959)
Starring: Adam Pawlikowski, Jerzy Moes, Jerzy Pichelski, Bożena Kurowska
Major awards: No information available
A war film based on a story by Wojciech Żukrowski. World War II, the Polish cavalry sets off against German tanks.
The protagonist around whom the front-line events revolve is the mare Lotna—an elegant, brave, and obedient Arabian, attracting attention with her bright coat. The lancers come across her by chance and then receive her as a gift from a sick owner. Lotna excites the soldiers, especially the commanders, who compete for her. The mare first belongs to one commander, and when he dies, she passes to the next, and so on. Lotna causes jealousy and disputes, all against the backdrop of war—explosions, gunfire, planning the next charges. Wajda made a symbolic film depicting the life of soldiers during the war. The lancers are characterized by heroic fighting and excellent presentation, and the civilians eagerly help them.
Besides the war and animal themes, the film includes love and friendship plots. The film is filled with symbolism and numerous allusions foreshadowing tragic events and death, not lacking in pathos. The cinematography deserves attention. Wajda was not satisfied with Lotna, and the film has stirred and continues to stir controversy due to its portrayal of the early days of World War II (the Polish cavalry charge with sabers and lances against German armored forces). The film perpetuates the myth of the lancers heroically fighting for their homeland against the greatest enemy. [Ewelina Świeca]
Innocent Sorcerers (1960)
Starring: Tadeusz Łomnicki, Krystyna Stypułkowska, Kalina Jędrusik, Zbigniew Cybulski
Major awards: Award at the Edinburgh Film Festival
Have you heard about the fall of “Przekrój”? This magazine, so significant for Polish culture, is disappearing, and one could ponder its existence for a long time. But that’s not the point. We are talking about Innocent Sorcerers, Wajda’s first film focusing not on history but the here and now, in 1960. The film was meant to depict a new lifestyle representing the “Przekrój civilization” – jazz, alcohol, poetry, new values, and new needs.
This weekly set the appropriate rhythm of life, created fashion, and proposed new customs. Innocent Sorcerers is somewhat an on-screen representation of the mood of those times. The main characters—Tadeusz Łomnicki with bleached hair and modest Krystyna Stypułkowska—engage in a semi-erotic, semi-intellectual game. In the background, Warsaw and its trendiest bars, where real jazz musicians (e.g., Krzysztof Komeda) play. In supporting roles, the most fashionable at the time—Zbigniew Cybulski, Roman Polanski, and the co-writer, then poet, Jerzy Skolimowski. The whole had a distinctly new wave feel—lonely people trying to escape loneliness, rebelling against primary values, and blindly throwing themselves into new morals.
For this reason, the film was both criticized and praised. Today, it is undoubtedly a classic, not much associated with Wajda’s romantic style, which is a pity. [Rafał Oświeciński]
Samson (1961)
Starring: Serge Merlin, Alina Janowska, Władysław Kowalski, Beata Tyszkiewicz
Major awards: No information available
A little-known film in which Wajda returns to the ruins of war, this time directly to the Warsaw Ghetto, from which Jakub Gold escapes. He escapes, which means he is theoretically safe—unlike his people, who are slowly dying from Nazi bullets.
And this bothers him, giving rise to moral anguish and guilt. Unlike Kanal, Ashes and Diamonds, or Lotna, this time Wajda does not motivate the tragedy or ennoble death—Gold dies, and his death saves no one and nothing; it is not even a symbol of anything, not a sacrifice for the homeland. Death without meaning—absurd and unnecessary. This complete break from the romantic thought that Wajda had previously adhered to met with a moderate reception. Furthermore, the director himself did not spare himself criticism, not seeing in Samson either clear metaphors or a moving vision of the Holocaust. It is hard not to agree with him, although the scale of the film is worth appreciating.
[Rafał Oświeciński]
Siberian Lady Macbeth (1962)
Starring: Olivera Marković, Ljuba Tadić, Miodrag Lazarević, Bojan Stupica
Major awards: Aleksandar Sekulović Pula (Yugoslav Film Festival) – award for cinematography, Olivera Marković Pula (Yugoslav Film Festival) – acting award
Although Lady Macbeth automatically brings to mind the character from Shakespeare’s play, it was not the source of inspiration for Wajda’s film. The literary prototype of the 1962 film is a story by Nikolai Leskov, written in 1864 and titled exactly like Wajda’s film.
Leskov, much like Shakespeare centuries earlier, creates a drama of human passions. Katarzyna marries a much older man. When a younger and much more attractive Sergei appears in her life, emotions take over. The relationship with the servant quickly turns into an unhealthy affair, leading to a series of murders and tragedies.
Wajda made Siberian Lady Macbeth in Serbo-Croatian. Despite Olivera Marković (film’s Katarzyna) winning the top acting award at the Yugoslav Film Festival, and Aleksandar Sekulović winning for best cinematography, the film passed unnoticed in Poland. Later, rare television screenings did not allow it to become ingrained in the consciousness of the Polish audience, which is why it remains one of Wajda’s least-watched films to this day.
Do we miss much because of this? Both yes and no. Siberian Lady Macbeth is a well-made film and an interesting story, but Wajda takes on the role of a craftsman rather than a creator. It is watchable but quickly forgotten. [Filip Jalowski]
The Ashes (1965)
Main Cast: Daniel Olbrychski, Bogusław Kierc, Piotr Wysocki, Beata Tyszkiewicz, Pola Raksa, Władysław Hańcza, Jan Świderski
Major Awards: Cannes (nominated for the Palme d’Or), Golden Duck (Best Polish Film)
The year 1965 and the premiere of The Ashes mark a significant point in Andrzej Wajda’s artistic journey.
This film was the first collaboration with Daniel Olbrychski, who would become one of Wajda’s favorite actors in the following years. It is Wajda’s first cinematic fresco, a nearly four-hour epic overshadowing all his previous works in scale. Even today, the film remains controversial. At the time of its release, critics claimed that the adaptation of Żeromski’s work failed due to poor emphasis distribution. Wajda was accused of allegorically emphasizing Polish weaknesses, particularly heroism. Over the years, the film is mostly remembered for the unfortunate horse that died during filming, in the name of realism and artistic vision. The horse’s death is indeed regrettable, and the criticisms of the time are hard to dispute.
However, Wajda managed to create a memorable and suggestive film, despite its moments of incoherence and unclear direction. [Filip Jalowski]
Gates to Paradise (1968)
Main Cast: John Fordyce, Lionel Stander, Mathieu Carrière, Pauline Challoner
Major Awards: Berlin (nominated for the Golden Bear, Best Film category)
Andrzejewski’s Gates to Paradise is essentially an anti-cinematic novel, composed of two sentences. One stretches over a hundred pages, while the other is brief: And they walked all night.
Wajda dreamed of adapting this book since he first read it. Securing funding was difficult, as Andrzejewski’s novel tackled the theme of children’s crusades, hinted at homosexuality, and analyzed the behavior of a crowd blindly following a strong leader—a topic uncomfortable for the PRL. Eventually, Wajda received the green light from Yugoslavian producers. The cast included foreign actors, and the film was made in English. The result is unsatisfactory. Wajda failed to capture the avant-garde essence of Andrzejewski’s text, creating a historical film that only hints (mainly through the cinematography of Mieczysław Jahoda) at the controversial themes of the novel. Overall, Gates to Paradise lacks the sharpness that pierced through the pages of its literary foundation.
[Filip Jalowski]
Layer Cake / Roly Poly (1968)
A frame from the movie “Przekładaniec” directed by Andrzej Wajda, 1968, Filmoteka Narodowa – Audiovisual Institute / www.fototeka.fn.org.pl
Main Cast: Bogumił Kobiela, Ryszard Filipski, Anna Prucnal
Major Awards: Chairman of the Committee for Radio and Television Award
Unexpectedly, Andrzej Wajda decided to continue the tradition of adapting Lem’s works for the screen. After the strenuous task of making the outstanding film Everything for Sale, Wajda created the 35-minute Layer Cake for Polish Television. The screenplay was written by Lem himself, based on his story Do You Exist, Mr. Jones?. The comedy revolves around the then-fantastic issue of transplantation. Race car driver Richard Fox repeatedly survives severe accidents thanks to Dr. Burton, who replaces his damaged body parts with organs from the fatal victims of his crashes. Fox’s survival depends on the number of spectators he inadvertently kills, leading to a psychological crisis as he takes on the traits of his organ donors.
This raises the classic Lemian question of where Fox ends and his donors begin.
In the story, the theme was cyborgization. Literary Mr. Jones successively replaces his body parts with artificial ones, raising the question of when a man ceases to be human and becomes a machine. Wajda’s film swaps cyborgization for a transplantation spiral with no end in sight. The film is delightful, with excellent humor and fitting futuristic decorations, despite its tongue-in-cheek approach. The irreplaceable Bogumił Kobiela shines as Fox. Only the racing sequences appear somewhat chaotic. Layer Cake is the only film based on Lem’s work that the author himself praised, likely because he had control over the project as the screenplay writer.
[Adrian Szczypiński]
Everything for Sale (1969)
Main Cast: Beata Tyszkiewicz, Elżbieta Czyżewska, Andrzej Łapicki, Daniel Olbrychski, Witold Holtz, Małgorzata Potocka, Elżbieta Kępińska
Major Awards: Warsaw Mermaid (Film Critics Club Award)
Just as Fellini has his 8½, Wajda has Everything for Sale, a kind of film essay and diary focusing on the death of actor Zbigniew Cybulski. This film tells the story of Maciek from Ashes and Diamonds and the myth he created.
It’s not so much a tribute as an attempt to confront the memory of those who pass away—what remains of them, who they truly were, and how they will be remembered. It reflects on culture, art, and the people behind the scenes. The film juxtaposes truth with falsehood, hypocrisy, masks, and rituals, serving as a commentary on the March 1968 events and a self-documentary of Wajda. The film features handheld camera work, much improvisation, and actors playing themselves, making it a truly unique film-essay. It’s intriguing not only for its bold content but also for its form—classic cinéma vérité with numerous excellent episodes (such as the hussar attack). [Rafał Oświeciński]
Hunting Flies (1969)
Starring: Zygmunt Malanowicz, Małgorzata Braunek, Hanna Skarżanka, Ewa Skarżanka, Józef Pieracki, Daniel Olbrychski, Irena Dziedzic, Leszek Drogosz
Major Awards: Hanna Skarżanka – Łagów (Lubuskie Lato Filmowe) – Award for Best Supporting Actress
Another attempt to break the myths that have shaped Wajda’s status as a creator. Perhaps not a classic comedy, but more of a dramedy with a strong ironic edge. No wonder, as the screenplay is based on a short story by Janusz Głowacki (the screenwriter of Wałęsa), who brilliantly plays with the world of illusions created by early PRL – although here Wajda softened the satirical tone in favor of a slightly misogynistic commentary.
This is a story about characters whose roles are stereotypically reversed – he is the failure, she is the tough one. The whole female family are like mantises. But it’s not just the fair sex that turns life into hell – everyone around stifles the main character, setting him straight, while he, poor and defenseless, submits to their will. Zygmunt Malanowicz is very good, although Bogumił Kobiela was initially planned for the role of Włodek (ah, what a performance that would have been!), and Małgorzata Braunek is excellent in the role of an insane mythomaniac. It is a great pleasure to see the future Olenka from The Deluge in such a bold role. The form of Hunting Flies is once again a romance with New Wave influences – fragmented editing, lots of improvisation, and a rough composition.
Viewers practically ignored the film, as did critics, who generally considered it a failure in the filmography of the already renowned director. [Rafał Oświeciński]
Landscape After Battle (1970)
Starring: Daniel Olbrychski, Stanisława Celińska, Jerzy Zelnik, Stefan Friedmann, Małgorzata Braunek
Major Awards: Cannes (nominated for the Palme d’Or), Golden Duck (Best Polish Film)
In Landscape After Battle, Wajda tackles the texts of Tadeusz Borowski, particularly the short story Battle of Grunwald.
The merciless realism of Borowski’s vision is not fully reflected in Wajda’s cinematic world. Literature serves only as a starting point for creating a film that – despite a clear critique of the national flaws of Poles – mainly focuses on a delicately conducted, almost melodramatic love story between Tadeusz (Daniel Olbrychski) and a young Jewish woman, Nina (Stanisława Celińska). The couple meets in a German concentration camp liberated by Allied forces. Freedom is within reach, but Wajda makes it clear that the real bars and boundaries are not made of mesh, metal, and concrete.
“Landscape After Battle does not present a very cheerful vision to the viewer. Liberated Poles do not behave like angels freed from the yoke of oppressors.
It turns out that national myths still prevent them from looking at reality soberly, and a full stomach is more important than freedom and ideas. On one hand, it’s understandable, as Borowski’s prose is literal, far from romantic exaltations. On the other hand, especially in contrast to Samosiuk’s excellent cinematography and the subtly conducted love story, such a diagnosis hurts and is uncomfortable. Landscape After Battle is, in my opinion, one of Wajda’s best films. [Filip Jalowski]
The Birch Wood (1970)
Starring: Daniel Olbrychski, Olgierd Łukaszewicz, Emilia Krakowska
Major Awards: Milan (International Film and Television Fair MIFED) – FIPRESCI award, Łagów (Lubuskie Film Summer) – award for Andrzej Wajda for directing and award for Best Male Lead Role for Daniel Olbrychski, Moscow (IFF) – Gold Medal, Moscow (IFF) – award for Best Male Role for Daniel Olbrychski, Finnish Film Association “Filmaur” award – honorary diploma, Milan (IFF) – “Golden Seal” (City of Milan award) award at the VII IFF organized by the Italian Film Archive in Milan
This is one of the director’s best films.
This time, Wajda is not conventional, not formulaic, but symbolic, poetic, painterly, and philosophical. The film is brilliant in its form. The shots, interior set design, landscapes, makeup, and costumes are like paintings. There is no randomness in framing and mise-en-scène, all elements and movements are thoughtful and meaningful, referring to something. Wajda, along with the cinematographers, and in collaboration with the set designer, decorator, and costume designer, invokes the paintings of Malczewski in his film. The director is also responsible for the screenplay, based on Iwaszkiewicz’s prose. He manages to show the impressionism, allusiveness, eroticism, and deep philosophical reflections from the writer’s work.
The characters are coherent and complex, and the narrative is smooth (without flashbacks). The Birch Wood presents a complicated relationship between brothers: to the forester Bolesław, a widower grieving after his wife, comes his terminally ill brother Stanisław, who wants to die here. The brothers are opposites, but there is a visible bond between them. The director juxtaposes Stanisław’s desperate cheerfulness and sensitivity with Bolesław’s depression and nervousness. Their relationship is complicated by a young neighbor – Malina, beautiful and primitive. The film touches on the themes of death and love. People’s entanglement in passion – love, jealousy, sadness, desire derived from biology – is contrasted with the inevitable, ruthless, also biological, death.
The film raises questions: where does desire come from? How to reconcile the desire for life and love with the inevitability of death? Excellent performances by Krakowska (Malina) and Łukaszewicz (Staś), with only Olbrychski’s (Bolesław) star performance seeming overly exaggerated, feeling pompous, as if the actor directed himself. This exaggeration seems to be the only drawback of the film. [Ewelina Świeca]
Pilate and Others (1971)
Starring: Jan Kreczmar, Daniel Olbrychski, Wojciech Pszoniak
Major Awards: No information available
An extremely original screen adaptation of the Jerusalem part of Mikhail Bulgakov’s Master and Margarita.
It is more an inspiration from the conversation between Pilate and Jesus than an adaptation of fragments of the novel. Jesus is portrayed as a rebel, a modern hippie – his trial takes place in Nuremberg, similar to the rallies of the Third Reich; Jerusalem is an urban jungle (Frankfurt), and the crucifixion happens in a dump next to a highway. The result? Unfavorable comments in the German press (despite the West German television ZDF being the producer) and only one copy of the film in Poland, screened only in art-house cinemas for a short time – Prime Minister Jaroszewicz reportedly pulled the film due to the outrage of Catholics at such a blasphemous vision… To this day, it is very difficult to find Pilate and Others anywhere – I myself saw it once, nearly 15 years ago at a single screening.
Brilliant Daniel Olbrychski, excellent Wojciech Pszoniak, and the late Jan Kreczmar, who died before the film’s premiere. [Rafał Oświeciński]
The Wedding (1972)
Starring: Daniel Olbrychski, Ewa Ziętek, Wojciech Pszoniak, Andrzej Łapicki, Marek Walczewski
Major Awards: San Sebastian International Film Festival (Best Feature Film)
Andrzej Wajda enjoys drawing from immortal Polish texts, often interpreting them in his works. However, The Wedding is an example of a nearly literal adaptation in terms of text and form.
Wyspiański’s play is an observation of late 19th-century society, capturing the essence of Young Poland with its historical complexes (failed uprisings, the Galician slaughter) and fascinations (rural culture, the lifestyle of provincial people). This is precisely what the film portrays. The combination of Stanisław Wyspiański’s text with Wajda’s directorial skill and technical professionalism was bound to succeed. Unlike any other film, The Wedding makes one feel stifled, sweaty, and desperate to step out of the Bronowice cottage for fresh air. In terms of content, similar to the play, it forces reflection and a reassessment of one’s view of history. It is certainly a heavy film that one returns to occasionally, but each time, it astonishes with its visual artistry (use of color, vision, and dreamlike quality) and execution (moving camera and editing).
[Maciej Niedźwiedzki]
The Promised Land (1974)
Starring: Daniel Olbrychski, Andrzej Seweryn, Wojciech Pszoniak, Anna Nehrebecka
Major Awards: Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, Chicago International Film Festival – Grand Prix “Gold Hugo”, Łagów (Lubuskie Film Summer) – Grand Prix “Golden Grapes”, Moscow International Film Festival – Gold Medal, Golden Duck (awarded by “Film” magazine) “Golden Duck” of the 50th anniversary in the category: Best Film, End of the Century – “Polityka” magazine survey – 4th place in the survey of “The Most Interesting Polish Films of the 20th Century”
A completely different work from anything Wajda had done before.
Instead of neo-romantic raptures, it’s a romance with the positivist ideas of Reymont. Instead of national allegories, it focuses on individual matters, personal needs, and theories of freedom. The result? The best, most mature film by Andrzej Wajda, where everything plays perfectly: beautiful cinematography by Sobociński, expressive music by Kilar, grand production scale, and the crème de la crème: the cast. Olbrychski, Seweryn, and Pszoniak are outstanding as Lodz entrepreneurs, creating the roles of their lives. Wajda himself admits it was one of the happiest periods of his life: he gathered an excellent team around him and worked without looking back at the judgment of the people’s government, which was proud to “own” such a recognized creator as Wajda.
Despite this, the Ideological and Educational Department of the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers’ Party had much work in combating the capitalist message of The Promised Land. Nonetheless, the film achieved tremendous success – an Oscar nomination (it lost to Kurosawa‘s Dersu Uzala) and today is considered one of the best films in the history of Polish cinema (voted the greatest in history in “Film” magazine in 1996). [Rafał Oświeciński]
The Shadow Line (1976)
Starring: Marek Kondrat, Graham Lines, Tom Wilkinson, Bernard Archard
Major Awards: Silver Lion at the Gdańsk Polish Film Festival
Adapting Joseph Conrad requires a creative approach. The best adaptations of his prose are characterized by their departure from slavishly adhering to the text, even significantly deviating from the literary original. This is what Francis Ford Coppola did by setting the action of Heart of Darkness during the Vietnam War in Apocalypse Now; similarly, Ridley Scott made The Duellists more dramatic by focusing on the two adversaries rather than the witnesses to their duels, as in the story.
Meanwhile, Wajda’s English-language The Shadow Line feels like a very cautious attempt to transfer Conrad’s work to the screen, losing the main idea in the process. The story of an ill-fated voyage under a newly appointed captain has an overly prolonged prologue in the port and an unsatisfactory finale. The constant off-screen thoughts of the main character, played by a young Marek Kondrat, don’t help either. Fortunately, what’s best in the book is also present in Wajda’s film – the helplessness of the sailors (including the debuting Tom Wilkinson), especially their captain, stranded at sea without wind or quinine, awaiting their inevitable end. For these scenes, as well as Witold Sobociński’s cinematography and Wojciech Kilar’s music, The Shadow Line is worth watching, though they cannot save the film from being a failure.
[Krzysztof Walecki]
Man of Marble (1976)
Starring: Krystyna Janda, Jerzy Radziwiłowicz, Tadeusz Łomnicki, Jacek Łomnicki, Michał Tarkowski
Major Awards: Cannes Film Festival – FIPRESCI Prize, Belgrade (FEST) – Grand Prize
Significant troubles with the people’s government. The film was so inconvenient that the script was constantly debated, its tone and accents were changed until finally, after much struggle, it was accepted.
As it turned out, Wajda stabbed a dagger in the back, openly criticizing the era of lies and mediocrity, which did not end with the distorted Stalinist period (as they later tried to explain) but continued for many years. The story of Mateusz Birkut, a classic Stakhanovite celebrated by the government, becomes a starting point for reflections on the nature of rebellion. Birkut (an excellent Radziwiłowicz) becomes aware of how the socialist world is constructed, and Agnieszka (a stunning, remarkable debut by Krystyna Janda) also matures while conducting her investigation. A brilliant film by Wajda, one of the best and most intelligent works of Polish cinema. A sharp slap in the face during the Gierek era.
[Rafał Oświeciński]
Without Anesthesia (1978)
Starring: Zbigniew Zapasiewicz, Ewa Dałkowska, Andrzej Seweryn, Krystyna Janda, Emilia Krakowska, Roman Wilhelmi
Major Awards: Cannes Film Festival – Ecumenical Jury Prize, Cannes (nomination for the Palme d’Or), Golden Duck (nomination for Andrzej Wajda), Golden Lion (Best Film)
The year 1978, Polish screens are stormed by the cinema of moral anxiety. Agnieszka Holland directs Provincial Actors, three years have passed since the premiere of Krzysztof Kieślowski’s Personnel, two since Zanussi‘s Camouflage, one since Feliks Falk’s Top Dog. Wajda’s Without Anesthesia is an inseparable child of these times (worth noting, the screenplay was written by Agnieszka Holland). The story of the downfall of a popular journalist combines an intimate individual drama with a sharp satire of the communist government. Family tragedy and social tragedy sometimes merge too easily, complementing each other too straightforwardly, and like all cinema of moral anxiety, they are made with an anti-system key. What is truly great in Without Anesthesia is the role of Zbigniew Zapasiewicz, one of the best performances in the history of Polish cinema.
[Filip Jalowski]
The Maids of Wilko (1979)
Starring: Daniel Olbrychski, Maja Komorowska, Anna Seniuk, Stanisława Celińska
Major Awards: Academy Award (Nomination: Best Foreign Language Film), Golden Lions (Best Set Design, Special Jury Award for Andrzej Wajda)
I am not a fan of Wajda’s films based on the stories of Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz.
They require a special sensitivity from the viewer, which I unfortunately lack. They are not edgy or expressive. They focus on subtle emotions and nuances. The Maids of Wilko is certainly proof of the director’s versatility, as he can handle grand historical narratives like in Danton as well as more modest and intimate stories. This film is more feminine, calm, balanced, and sentimental. Wajda demonstrates his skill in directing actors. Daniel Olbrychski as Wiktor and Maja Komorowska as Jola are compelling. I must admit this even though I prefer a different kind of cinema. Wiktor’s confrontation with the past is an interesting theme, but despite this, I couldn’t help but check the time during the screening.
[Maciej Niedźwiedzki]
The Conductor (1979)
Starring: John Gielgud, Krystyna Janda, Andrzej Seweryn
Major Awards: Silver Bear (Andrzej Seweryn, Best Actor), San Sebastian (FIPRESCI Prize, Catholic Office of Film Award)
In Poland, this film is somewhat forgotten, largely due to domestic critics who did not give it very positive reviews. They accused it of being postcard-like and lacking psychological depth. Abroad, the reactions were quite different. The Conductor was among eleven films mentioned by Ingmar Bergman as those that left the greatest impression on him. Wajda’s film was warmly received in Berlin and San Sebastian. Personally, I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle. The story of tense relationships between a world-class musician and a young married couple is solid cinema with an excellent performance by Andrzej Seweryn and good performances by John Gielgud and a young Janda. Particularly convincing are the almost paranoid behaviors of Seweryn’s character and the nostalgic actions of Gielgud’s character. Ultimately, The Conductor lacks a strong moment that would lead to a climactic explosion of emotions.
When the screening ends, there is a feeling that everything has been left unresolved – without a conclusion, without an explanation. Such an approach can be somewhat irritating. [Filip Jalowski]
Man of Iron (1981)
Starring: Jerzy Radziwiłowicz, Marian Opania, Krystyna Janda
Major Awards: Palme d’Or at Cannes, Academy Award Nomination for Best Foreign Language Film
This is a strange film.
It’s more of an illustration of recent events in the country than a normal story with a main character. The authorities underestimated the screenplay, and the film was made in a great hurry, as if in anticipation that something important might soon happen (rightly so, as martial law broke out a few months after the premiere). Even Wajda considered it the weakest of his works to date. And suddenly, as if by magic, a miracle happened: the film won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Moreover, it became a huge box office success (5 million viewers in four months!). What made the difference? The mood of those times – Wajda captured that moment when something extraordinary was being born, something with a concrete goal and a face (yes, Wałęsa, Walentynowicz, and Gwiazda appear in the film).
Man of Iron is another slap in the face of the authorities, all the more painful because it was noticed worldwide and showed those who were dealing the blow. Again, Janda is outstanding, and Radziwiłowicz is no less excellent. Alongside them, Opania in a career-defining role and Gajos, who is in a class of his own. [Rafał Oświeciński]
Danton (1983)
Starring: Gerard Depardieu, Wojciech Pszoniak, Anne Alvaro, Roland Blanche
Major Awards: BAFTA (Best Foreign Language Film), César Awards (Best Director; Nominations: Best Film, Best Actor, Best Sound, Best Adapted Screenplay), Golden Lions (Special Journalists’ Award for Andrzej Wajda)
Alongside The Promised Land, this is my favorite Andrzej Wajda film.
Based on an excellent drama by Stanisława Przybyszewska, there is a certain similarity in both films. The Promised Land deals with the technological revolution and the associated social changes, while Danton addresses the political revolution and radical changes in the social structure. Danton spectacularly captures the atmosphere and intensity of the French Revolution. The committed performances of Depardieu and Pszoniak are impressive. In Wajda’s film, all of Paris comes alive and is multi-dimensional: the costumes, set design, and cinematography are, as usual with this director, of the highest level. Playing with color, light, and shadow has always been very important for Wajda, known for his passion for painting and artistic interests.
Here, every frame is painted with the eye of a painter. Simultaneously, there is immense power and necessary (but not overbearing) pathos in this story. All this makes Danton, in my opinion, Wajda’s last great film. [Maciej Niedźwiedzki]
A Love in Germany (1984)
Starring: Hanna Schygulla, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Piotr Łysak
Major Awards: No information
For the first time, Wajda takes a close look at Germany and the totalitarian system, whose main political goal was indoctrination.
This is a story about forbidden love in 1940 between a German woman and a Polish prisoner of war working in Bavaria. The film met with crushing criticism in Germany, which preferred to conduct its own psychoanalysis. In Poland, it did not appear in cinema distribution.
Chronicle of Amorous Accidents (1985)
Starring: Paulina Młynarska, Piotr Wawrzyńczak, Dariusz Dobkowski, Jarosław Gruda, Tadeusz Konwicki
Major Awards: Golden Tape (awarded by the SFP Screenwriting Circle) in the “Polish Film” category
The collaborative effort of Andrzej Wajda and Tadeusz Konwicki to bring the latter’s novel to the screen resulted in significant success.
The film is warm and humorous, treating the first love of the main characters (excellently portrayed by Wawrzyńczak and Młynarska) with due respect while not omitting the charming awkwardness typical of young love. This contrasts significantly with the looming specter of the upcoming war (the story is set in the spring of 1939) and the figure of a mysterious stranger (played by Konwicki himself), who reminisces about his youth, untainted by future experiences. Wajda constructs this world with bright colors, pervasive sunshine, and picturesque landscapes, fully aware of the impending tragedy.
Both creators reference their previous works – Konwicki’s psychological cinema has always emphasized the role of memory, allowing people to return to the past, while Wajda has frequently explored the themes of love and death. Nonetheless, Chronicle of Amorous Accidents stands out in their oeuvre, perhaps because innocence and youthful feelings are the primary themes of this story, refusing to be relegated to the background. [Krzysztof Walecki]
The Possessed (1988)
Starring: Piotr Machalica, Zbigniew Zamachowski, Lambert Wilson, Omar Sharif
Major Awards: None
Adapting Dostoevsky is always a great challenge.
The complexity of his characters often poses an insurmountable obstacle for filmmakers. However, Wajda had a strong ally in this endeavor. The screenplay was written by Jean-Claude Carrière, who also worked on The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie and That Obscure Object of Desire by Luis Buñuel. The collaboration between the Frenchman and the Pole is more than interesting. Fans of the novel criticize the filmmakers for not fully capturing the complexity of the characters and for omitting many plot points that contribute to the greatness of the original. Personally, I disagree with these criticisms. Wajda and Carrière effectively convey the heavy, somewhat psychotic atmosphere of The Possessed.
Although many plot points are indeed omitted, and some characters acquire traits not found in Dostoevsky’s text, the essence of the novel is preserved and rendered in a surprisingly faithful manner. This is achieved through cinematography, good direction, and music, which perfectly underscore the on-screen events. [Filip Jalowski]
Korczak (1990)
Starring: Wojciech Pszoniak, Ewa Dałkowska, Teresa Budzisz-Krzyżanowska, Marzena Trybała
Major Awards: Golden Ducks (nominations: Best Director of Award-Winning Films at Major International Festivals, Best Leading Actor, Best Historical-Costume Film of the Century of Polish Cinema)
Another film where Wajda collaborates with Wojciech Pszoniak.
This time, the director tackles the nightmare of the Holocaust in Warsaw. Unfortunately, this production is not entirely successful. In retrospect, films like Schindler’s List, The Pianist, or In Darkness (Agnieszka Holland also wrote the screenplay for Korczak) are more mature artistic reflections on the Holocaust. They more fully capture this traumatic aspect of World War II. While Spielberg or Polanski’s films present a variety of perspectives, Wajda’s film delineates a clear black-and-white division between good and evil, with no shades of gray. Sometimes, Korczak’s care and concern for his wards are touching.
However, the entire film does not sustain this continuous, unchanging tone. I am far from saying it is a bad film, but I expected more from Andrzej Wajda. A positive aspect is Wojciech Pszoniak’s performance. Dr. Korczak convinces with his commitment, determination, and uncompromising judgments, but I believe more could have been drawn from this character, and a better film could have been made about him. [Maciej Niedźwiedzki]
The Ring with a Crowned Eagle (1992)
Starring: Rafał Królikowski, Cezary Pazura, Adrianna Biedrzyńska, Piotr Bajor
Major Awards: None
The Ring with a Crowned Eagle was a nostalgic look back for Wajda, an attempt to close the chapter titled Polish Film School.
World War II, young people wandering through the ruins of the Warsaw Uprising, and the rise of the communist regime – iconic themes in Polish cinema. Despite clear references to his earlier films (including the famous scene with burning glasses from Ashes and Diamonds) and the effort Wajda put into adapting Aleksander Ścibor-Rylski’s book, The Ring is not a successful film. At times, the master’s touch is felt, with visual suggestiveness (especially in the Uprising scenes) and apt metaphors, but overall, the film is “lukewarm,” and – as we know – one should be either cold or hot. The Ring with a Crowned Eagle works as a sentimental journey, but as a standalone spectacle, it falters, suffering from mediocrity.
[Filip Jalowski]
Nastasja (1994)
Starring: Tamasaburo Bando, Toshiyuki Nagashima, Baucho Tsuji
Major Awards: None available
Primarily an extremely hard-to-find film – it is a Japanese production, an adaptation of Dostoevsky’s The Idiot, with Japanese actors in the main roles. No rating, as none of the editorial staff has seen Nastasja.
Holy Week (1995)
Main Cast: Beata Fudalej, Wojciech Malajkat, Bożena Dykiel, Wojciech Pszoniak
Major Awards: Silver Bear (Andrzej Wajda, Outstanding Artistic Contribution)
Holy Week marks another return by Wajda to the literary works of Andrzejewski. The director had considered adapting the story as early as the 1960s, but its Jewish themes made the project unfeasible at the time. The adaptation rights changed hands multiple times before finally returning to Poland in the 1990s, allowing Wajda to pursue this long-delayed project. However, the final result leaves much to be desired.
Wajda’s vision is starkly black-and-white, lacking the psychological complexity that the characters deserve. This approach is particularly jarring given the film’s themes, which should be rich with morally ambiguous issues. Ultimately, it stands as the weakest adaptation of Andrzejewski’s work by Wajda. [Filip Jalowski]
Miss Nobody (1996)
Main Cast: Anna Wielgucka, Anna Mucha, Anna Powierza, Stanisława Celińska, Jan Janga-Tomaszewski
Major Awards: Berlinale (Special Jury Mention for “Promising Role of a Young Actress” for Anna Wielgucka)
This is arguably the worst film in Andrzej Wajda’s entire filmography.
The creator of Kanal aimed to appeal to a younger audience by adapting Tomasz Tryzna’s controversial yet critically acclaimed novel Miss Nobody, but the result is a neutered version of the original. It’s unclear what Wajda intended to achieve with this odd blend of coming-of-age story and psychological drama. I remember being terrified by this film as a child, especially the scene where the camera tracks a dirty and battered Marysia as it moves through a bus. However, watching it now, Miss Nobody strikes me as one of the most irritating Polish films of the 1990s. This film is grating and exhausting. The question remains, who is more to blame for this failure: Wajda, who struggled to adapt to a project so different from his previous work, or the weak script by Radosław Piwowarski? The film seems more suited to Piwowarski’s style, which includes similar atmospheric and unsettling elements.
The rivalry and intrigue among the friends, with an innocent girl falling victim, is a strong premise. This theme remains relevant today, especially as a critique of a society increasingly made up of opportunists who always choose safe and convenient solutions, even at the expense of their ideals. Marysia (Anna Wielgucka) becomes a “nobody” by abandoning her family and religion, which were once her highest values. Despite being healthy, unlike her younger brother, she was essentially blind—unable to see that she was merely a pawn in a game, and that life is more complex than she imagined. The film’s redeeming qualities include the performances, which make it a pity that Anna Mucha and Anna Powierza wasted their talents on soap operas.
Also noteworthy are Stanisława Celińska, Jan Janga-Tomaszewski, and Tadeusz Huk, who brings out the best even in a small role. [Krzysztof Połaski]
Pan Tadeusz (1999)
Main Cast: Michał Żebrowski, Bogusław Linda, Daniel Olbrychski, Alicja Bachleda-Curuś, Grażyna Szapołowska, Krzysztof Kolberger, Marek Kondrat, Andrzej Seweryn, Marian Kociniak
Major Awards: Eagle (Polish Film Award) – Awards for Best Cinematography, Set Design, Sound, Music, Editing, and for Grażyna Szapołowska’s Best Actress
It’s hard not to like this film and appreciate the meticulous care with which it was crafted.
If we can momentarily set aside the mental burden of watching the adaptation of Poland’s most obligatory reading, the viewing experience can be immensely enjoyable. Firstly, the film is excellently acted in thirteen-syllable verse by a star-studded cast of Poland’s finest actors, who give their all knowing they are part of something exceptional. Secondly, it is beautifully made, with idyllic landscapes, a wonderfully nostalgic atmosphere, and an excellent accompanying score. In this regard, Pan Tadeusz is sheer delight. Admittedly, it is a summary in its purest form and was also created for commercial reasons, which continues to pay off to this day. Nevertheless, it is an original and remarkable piece of cinema.
By the way, it was a huge box office hit, drawing 6 million viewers in Poland—just slightly less than Titanic and Avatar combined. [Rafał Oświeciński]
The Condemnation of Franciszek Kłos (2000)
Main Cast: Mirosław Baka, Maja Komorowska, Grażyna Błęcka-Kolska, Artur Żmijewski, Krzysztof Globisz, Paweł Królikowski, Andrzej Chyra
Major Awards: None
The beginning of 2000 was marked by an Oscar for Andrzej Wajda for his lifetime achievements in film, but soon after returning to Poland, the director began working on his next project.
This was his only full-length television film, based on Stanisław Rembek’s 1947 novel The Condemnation of Franciszek Kłos. Often mistaken for a TV theater production, this film blurs the line between television movies and certain TV theater stagings. The plot focuses on Franciszek Kłos (an excellent Mirosław Baka), a Blue Police officer who serves the Third Reich faithfully. Kłos unhesitatingly kills conspirators, Jews, and even children. He is hated by Poles and still treated as a second-class citizen by the Germans—a loyal “dog.” In his mind, he is doing nothing wrong, just following orders, and after all, the Jews did betray Jesus, so how can the Catholic Church defend them? As he receives a death sentence from the underground court, Kłos becomes increasingly fearful for his life; the more he fears, the more he drinks, and in his drunken stupor, he becomes capable of anything—shooting at anything that moves and hacking doors with an axe.
Mirosław Baka’s performance is the highlight of this film, reminiscent of his role in Kieslowski’s A Short Film About Killing, where he also played an anti-hero awaiting execution. However, this time Krzysztof Globisz won’t be his lawyer. The film contains very strong moments, such as when Kłos tells his family he wants to commit suicide but insists that his wife and children must die too, as they can’t live in such a cruel world, burdened by the father’s sins. Unfortunately, the biggest drawback of The Condemnation of Franciszek Kłos is its execution—it’s simply hard to watch. Handheld camera work fails miserably in the film’s most pathetic scene, a shootout between Poles and Germans.
Kłos and an SS man (an over-the-top Artur Żmijewski), single-handedly driving away an AK unit, look not only bad and unrealistic but downright laughable. There are several more such absurdities in the script. Nevertheless, if we overlook the execution necessitated by the symbolic budget and script flaws, we get a suspenseful, interesting, and valuable film where Wajda examines different facets of patriotism, loyalty to one’s country, religion, and betrayal. [Krzysztof Połaski]
The Revenge (2002)
Main Cast: Andrzej Seweryn, Janusz Gajos, Roman Polański, Agata Buzek, Daniel Olbrychski, Rafał Królikowski
Major Awards: Numerous Eagle Award nominations, but no wins
This is a rather peculiar film in Andrzej Wajda’s body of work.
As usual, the creator of Ashes and Diamonds reached for an important text of Polish literature, this time by Aleksander Fredro. In this respect, The Revenge fits perfectly into Wajda’s filmography. What distinguishes the 2002 film is its exceptionally theatrical style. The adaptation of Fredro’s play is strikingly close to the form of a television theater production, with rare stylized sets and costumes and theatrical acting, setting it apart from the rest of Wajda’s works. It’s certainly an aesthetic shock for viewers accustomed to the full-blooded, epic spectacles like The Promised Land, Danton, Man of Marble, or Man of Iron. Nonetheless, one can’t overlook the great enjoyment and engagement the actors brought to their roles.
This intimate production allows for a focus on the nuances and details of character portrayals. Roman Polański returns to the screen in The Revenge, reminding everyone of his talent as an actor. [Maciej Niedźwiedzki]
Katyn (2007)
Starring: Jan Englert, Danuta Stenka, Artur Żmijewski, Maja Ostaszewska, Magdalena Cielecka, Andrzej Chyra, Paweł Małaszyński
Major Awards: Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film; Polish Film Award (Orzeł) – Winner for Best Film of 2007, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Costumes, Best Music, Best Sound, and Danuta Stenka for Best Supporting Actress
Katyń is not Saving Private Ryan.
Nor is it Schindler’s List. The criticism that Wajda’s film faced often focused on its lack of universalism characteristic of popular cinema, the superficial nature of its characters, and the patriotic overtones that pervade the frames. However, Wajda aimed for something entirely different – he wanted to evoke the emotions, feelings, values, and needs of those who fought and died at that time. With God on their lips, with a memory of their Homeland, with clearly defined Honor. Typical romantic heroes resigned to their fate but simultaneously seeing the purpose of their death. If we adopt this perspective, Katyń can take on new hues. Also invaluable is the drastic change in the narrative’s tone in the final minutes – nostalgia turns into brutal realism.
These are undoubtedly some of the most harrowing depictions of war in cinema history. [Rafał Oświeciński]
Sweet Rush (2009)
Starring: Krystyna Janda, Paweł Szajda, Jan Englert
Major Awards: Polish Film Awards (nominations: Best Leading Actress – Krystyna Janda, Best Music – Paweł Mykietyn), Berlinale (Alfred Bauer Prize, nomination: participation in the main competition), European Film Award (European Film Critics Award – Prix FIPRESCI)
Andrzej Wajda as a postmodernist.
The director of The Promised Land accustomed his viewers to opulence (which he broke with in The Revenge) and classical narration. Sweet Rush is, in many respects, a unique film. For the first time, Wajda stops believing in the text he is adapting. This time, life surpasses art. It cannot convey certain states, emotions, and fears. From time to time, the camera leaves the action, slips out of the plot, and the actors stop acting. Therefore, we listen to Krystyna Janda’s monologue about her deceased husband or see the film crew with Wajda himself. This time, Iwaszkiewicz’s story is not enough. Wajda wants to say more, to explore the boundaries of cinema. Sweet Rush is more of a narrative experiment.
Not everything in it succeeded. The viewer is often distracted by various digressions, breaking the bond of identification with the protagonist. Often, it feels like watching several edited films rather than one coherent and thought-out statement. [Maciej Niedźwiedzki]
Walesa: Man of Hope (2013)
Starring: Robert Więckiewicz, Agnieszka Grochowska, Dorota Wellman, Maria Rosaria Omaggio, Cezary Kosiński, Zbigniew Zamachowski
What does Walesa: Man of Hope retain from the demystifying ideas of Man of Marble and Man of Iron? In formal terms, it has its rebel – Wałęsa.
But dramatically, the focus is more on episodes from Lech’s life than on slapping the old system. Of course, it’s hard to unmask what was officially unmasked 24 years ago, but purely in narrative terms, Wajda skims the surface, with no time for a cat-and-mouse game that, on an emotional level, I might have desired. Nevertheless, one can grumble, wish for less skimming of opposition topics, scoff at historical shallowness and episodic storytelling that builds Wałęsa’s greatness on the principle of “just because.” But the fact remains – it is a very enjoyable viewing with a truly PHENOMENAL Robert Więckiewicz. Every line he delivers, every expression, every gesture is priceless and must be appreciated. [Rafał Oświeciński]
