Kinoteka

Jerzy Kawalerowicz was one of the most renowned Polish filmmakers and a master of epic cinema.

He was a founding member, along with Andrzej Wajda, Andrzej Munk and Tadeusz Konwiczki of the “Polish Film School,” a remarkable film movement that revolutionised filmmaking across Central and Eastern Europe in the late 50’s and beyond.

Kawalerowicz directed a total of 17 feature films, most of which were book adaptations. He considered novelists to be superior screenwriters. His adaptation of Bolesław Prus’ novel Pharaoh (Faraon) was nominated for an Oscar in 1966.

He won a special jury prize at Cannes Film Festival for his 1961 feature Mother Joan of the Angels. His most recent work was the 2001 production of Quo Vadis based on a novel by Poland's Nobel-prize winning author Henryk Sienkiewicz. It was the most expensive Polish movie ever made.

Andrzej Wajda said that Kawalerowicz brought not only European, but global prestige of Polish cinema.

Jerzy Kawalerowicz died in December 2007.