Polish Directors

Director of global scale and universal topics. One of top directors in the entire movie history. Watching his "Decalogue" is an unforgettable mystical experience. A great artist and a great human being.

Master of Polish cinema, Honorary Oscar winner and a towering figure in movie history. 40 features made between 1954-2016. About 10 of them are masterpieces. All are closely tied with Polish history, literature and culture.

The most distinguished Polish documentary director. In 1970s and 80s his movies were revealing the duplicity of the communist system. However, his greatest achievement "Anything Can Happen" came in 1995 - a tiny masterpiece made in the park during strolls with his 6-year-old son.

One of the best Polish directors and writers. He's made only 6 feature films but all of them are great works of art. It's a pity that he's probably too incomprehensible abroad.

Director-celebrity with international acclaim. Has made only 2 features in Poland. Both are masterpieces: Oscar-nominated "Knife in the Water" and Oscar-winning "The Pianist". Simply a genius.

Incredibly creative documentarian whose influential films are milestones of the genre. His distinct alegorical style made all his efforts totally unique. What a shame he died so early!

The intellectual of Polish cinema. His movies deal with moral, religious and philosophical dilemmas of his generation. One of the key directors of the so-called moral anxiety cinema of the 1970s.

Uniquely versatile auteur, inspired by great literature. His most famous film "The Saragossa Manuscript" has been admired by many, including Bunuel, Coppola, Scorsese...

Her films are uneven but some are fantastic, especially early works in Poland like "A Lonely Woman" and most of all "Europa Europa". Her political engagement in the situation in Poland is also worth appreciation.

Cinema is for him an act of self-therapy. By revealing his character's obsessions and frustrations (the character Adam Miauczynski is always the same), he describes the lives of many frustrated Polish intellectuals.

Director, actor, writer, poet, painter. Artist in all fields. He represented Polish 1960s New Wave movement. And his films from that time are marvellous. So are his new works from the 21st century.

Nicknamed the pharaoh of Polish cinema ("Pharaoh" was his Oscar-nominated film), was known for his exceptional versatility. I appreciate him greatly for the Hitchcockian "Night Train", one of the best Polish movies of all time.

The most modest and humble of all Polish filmmakers. Made intelligent, sensitive and lyrical stuff. Even for most movie fans, he remains an undiscovered diamond.

The greatest Polish animator and video clips creator. Won an Oscar for his best effort "Tango". Is the only Oscar winner to get to the top and bottom during the same night - right after accepting the Academy Award, he was arrested and spent the rest of the night in jail.

Has brought the poetic vision of his native Silesia to the silver screen. Unfortunately, he left movies for politics - he's been a senator for a long time now. His long-lasting silence as a director is a huge loss for Polish cinema.

His brutal yet true portrayal of the 1990s Polish capitalism in "The Debt" remains one of the most remarkable visions in modern cinema. After that triumph, he achieved more success with "My Nikifor" and the unforgettable "Saviour Square".

One of the pillars of the Polish Film School movement of the late 1950s. Holds a strong position of an undisputable classic auteur of Polish cinema. His ironic look at history and morality never stops to be missed.

Like his father Marcel, he's become a remarkable documentarian. Among his many fabulous titles, the most outstanding is "Birthplace" about a Holocaust survivor investigating the death of his loved ones in his native village. A true gem!

Director of a unique poetic language, who constantly revolves around his small-town homeland and family history. Of his numerous works, "Jancio Wodnik" stands out as the one which has lost nothing of its freshness and authenticity.

She's made so many films which are actually still the same constantly repeated vision of lost childhood and the harshness of coming of age. "The Crows" are most recommended.

The founding father of Polish cinema after the industry's wartime destruction. His "Border Street" is still touching in its utter sincerity. It's a pity that at the end of his life Ford was forced to emigrate and fall into oblivion, which finally resulted in his suicide.

One of the best 21st century directors in the business. His works are characterized by lightness, grace, vitality and intelligence. A name to remember for the future.

Made it to the list mainly for his wonderful Stalinist drama "Shivers", which is hard to get out of your head. Marczewski is also a talented teacher of directing, who used to advise and inspire the future Dogma filmmakers in Denmark.

A fan of real and mental provincial life portrayals, which we can see in all of his films, even if they are set in Warsaw (like the marvellous "A Few People, A Little Time"). No one has captured the thick small-town atmosphere better than he has.

The king of Polish comedy, well-known for laughing out loud at the absurdities of communism. But his greatness is best visible in a few lyrical moments in his movies, like in the memorable carol-singing ending of the cult classic "Teddy Bear".

One of those filmmakers of today that you should watch out for. His scope and talent is nothing short of spectacular. Smarzowski's brutal and candid eye-opening look at Polish history and modern life is utterly overwhelming.

His depictions of Polish countryside, always based on great literature, are real discoveries for the viewers. Entered the world of movies with his undoubtful masterpiece entitled "The Life of Matthew".

Seems to have his best years far behind, with such great 1980s flicks like "The Magnate" and "Shilly-Shally". It's a shame that his last works are just vague reflections of his undisputable talent.

A very uneven director who managed to make some wonderful movies about a troubled and disturbing childhood - in Stalinist times ("Sunday Pranks") as well as in modern Warsaw suburbs ("Hi Tessa"). Used to be the rector of the legendary Łódź National Film School.

A great craftsman and talented storyteller. I especially admire his unbelievably sharp early classic "Top Dog", which is a milestone in Polish moral anxiety cinema of the 1970s.

Director-painter with his own poetic style of storytelling. His films usually deal with the lives and works of other artists, like Dutch painter Pieter Bruegel or Polish suicidal poet Rafal Wojaczek. Majewski is capable of turning a static painting into a passionate movie scene and vice versa.

His debut film still lives vividly in my memory, just like a great summer holiday experience. The importance of his works doesn't have anything to do with their originality or uniqueness but with their truthful nature and down-to-earth realism.

His classic screwball comedies, like "Ewa Wants to Sleep" or "I Hate Mondays", are so sweet and warm-hearted that it's hard not to resist their humour, sensitivity and intelligence in capturing the absurdities of living under communism.

A recluse who always stays away from the media and interviews. Stood behind the biggest blockbusters of 1990s and then for a long time kept silent. His newest efforts "Aftermath" and "Jack Strong" are bold attempts to reveal the secrets of modern Polish history.

After his spoof of superhero movies "Hydromystery", he moved to a country house with his wife and never stopped making films there, close to nature and far away from the big city life. Invented his own distinct style and used his family members to tell touching stories, largely without any plots.

Enfant terrible of Polish cinema aka the local Steven Spielberg. Has made numerous hits among both critics and viewers. His best work is still "Sexmission", the hilarious antifeminist dystopia.

One of the greatest comic talents among Polish directors. Responsible for the immortal cult classic "The Cruise", but also memorable shorts, docs and TV productions.

This skillful craftsman was behind many historical blockbuster epics, including Oscar-nominated "The Deluge". But what I value most is the artistry in his classic early docs and features, like the western-style "The Law and the Fist".

Having been active for nearly half a century, he's responsible for many light comedies and period pieces, but always with a meaning. What distinguishes his works is their clear historical setting and focus on ordinary people with humour and wit.

Another great documentarian. He's specialised in portraying distant cultures, like India, Africa or North Korea. In fact his best work, "The Parade", is an ironic look at North Korean dictatorship shot when the country was celebrating the 40th anniversary of its existence.

In the 1970s and 80s was one of the most seminal Polish directors, making such acclaimed classics as "The Mother of Kings" or "Lake Constance". Later on his career has only gone downhill, but he still deserves much appreciation.

A modest creator of classic docs and features. Especially worthwhile are "Dowry" about a provincial doomed love triangle, and "Just Beyond This Forest" - the story of a bond between an old Polish woman and a Jewish girl from the Warsaw ghetto.

Director behind the only Oscar-winning movie from Poland to win in the Best Foreign Language Film category. "Ida" is the work of astonishing subtlety, grace and humanism. It's a post-Holocaust story firmly set in the Polish reality of the 1960s.

After the groundbreaking first Polish gay movie "Floating Skyscrapers", this new talented helmer made "United States of Love" - a thought-provoking film about the democratic changes in Poland from women's perspective. Watch out for this name in the future!

Filmmaker responsible for the best movie about Stalinism - the award-winning "Interrogation". The legendary title was banned in 1980s Poland but distributed illegaly on videos. After the fall of communism, the director pursued his career with films about history, injustice and corruption.

Distinguished documentary filmmaker whose fascinating debut "Hear My Cry" is one of the best Polish docs ever made. It's a harrowing tale of an ordinary man who burned himself alive in protest against the Soviet invasion in Czechoslovakia.

Her films are extremely uneven - all of them have potential but none gives real fulfilment. However, the personal "33 Scenes from Life" and the award-winning "Body" prove that she's got a talent. I hope we'll see more proof in the not so distant future.

The most distinguished director of pre-war Poland. Made adaptations of modern literature and historical pieces, usually with romantic foreground. Although he left for Israel at the start of WW2 and continued to make films there and later on in the USA, it was in 1930s Poland that he achieved his greatest success.

What a controversial figure! Started out in the 1970s with brilliant innovative works like "The Third Part of the Night" or "The Devil", both in a nightmare-like style. Then he moved abroad and made pretentious movies, hitting the total bottom with the disgusting "Szamanka".

The founding mother of Polish cinema, an Auschwitz survivor, a devout communist and a respected film school professor. Most of her movies were pure communist propaganda. However, her painful debut "The Last Stage" remains the first ever cinematic depiction of Auschwitz and the first international post-war success of a Polish movie.