Andrzej Wajda Biography (1926?-)

Name is pronounced An-dray Vy-da; born March 6, 1926 (some sources cite 1927), in Suwalki, Poland; son of Jakub (an army officer) and Aniela (a school teacher; maiden name, Biaxowas) Wajda; married Beata Tyszkiewicz (an actress), 1967 (divorced); married Krystyna Zachwatowicz (a set and costume designer), 1975; children: (first marriage) one daughter (some sources cite two daughters).

Nationality: Polish
Gender: Male
Occupation: Director, screenwriter
Birth Details: March 6, 1926?; Suwalki, Poland

Famous Works

CREDITS
Stage Work
Director
Kapelusz pelen deszczu (also known as A Hatful of Rain), Teatr Dramatyczny, Gdynia, Poland, 1959
Dwoje na hustawce (also known as Two on a Seesaw), Teatr Ateneum, Warsaw, Poland, 1960
Hamlet, Teatr Wybrzeze, Gdansk, Poland, 1960
Demony (also known as The Demons and The Devils), Teatr Ateneum, 1963
Wesele (also known as The Wedding), Stary Teatr, Krakow, Poland, 1963
Play Strindberg, Teatr Wspolczesny, Warsaw, Poland, 1969
Biesy (also known as The Possessed), Stary Teatr, 1971
Jak brat bratu (also known as Sticks and Bones), Teatr Sowriemiennik, Moscow, Soviet Union (now Russia), 1972
Wspolnik (also known as Der Mittmacher), Schauspielhaus, Zurich, Switzerland, 1973
Noc listopadowa (also known as November Night), Stary Teatr, 1974
The Possessed, Yale Repertory Theatre, New Haven, CT, 1974-75
The Demons (also known as The Devils), 1975
The Idiot, 1975
Sprawa Dantona (also known as The Danton Affair), Teatr Powszechny, Warsaw, Poland, 1975
Emigranci (also known as The Emigrants), Teatr Kameralny, 1976
Gdy rozum spi... (also known as The Dreams of Reason), Teatr na Woli, Warsaw, Poland, 1976
Biale malzenstwo (also known as White Marriage), Yale Repertory Theatre, 1977
Nastasja Philipowna (also known as Nastasja Filippovna), Stary Teatr, 1977
Rozmowy z katem (also known as Conversation with an Executioner), Teatr Powszechny, 1977
Sprawa Dantona (also known as The Danton Affair), Teatr Armii Ludowej, Sofia, Bulgaria, 1978
Z biegiem lat, z biegiem dni (also known as As Years Go By, AsDays Go By and Down the Years, Down the Days), Stary Teatr, 1978
Noc listopadowa (also known as November Night), Deutsches Nationaltheater, Weimar, East Germany (now Germany), 1979
Oni, Theatre des Amandiers, Nanterre, France, 1980
Tragiczna historia Hamleta, ksiecia Danii (also known as Hamlet), Stary Teatr, 1981
Antygone (also known as Antigone), Stary Teatr, 1984
Zbrodnia i kara (also known as Crime and Punishment), StaryTeatr, 1984
Wieczemik (also known as The Upper Room), Parafia Milosierdzia Bozego, Warsaw, Poland, 1985
Crime and Punishment, Pepsico Summerfare International PerformingArts Festival, State University of New York College at Purchase, Purchase, NY, 1986
Zbrodnia i kara (also known as Crime and Punishment and Schuld und Suehne), Schaubuehne, Berlin, Germany, 1986
Zemsta (also known as The Revenge), Stary Teatr, 1986
Lekcja polskiego (also known as Lesson of the Polish Language and The Polish Lesson), Teatr Powszechny, 1988
Panna Julia (also known as Miss Julie), Teatr Powszechny, 1988
Dybuk (also known as The Dybbuk), Stary Teatr, 1988, then Habima Theatre, Tel Aviv, Israel, later Habima Theatre Company, Moscow, Russia, 1990
The Dybbuk, Pepsico Summerfare International Performing Arts Festival, State University of New York College at Purchase, 1989
Hamlet IV, Stary Teatr, then Pepsico Summerfare International Performing
Arts Festival, State University of New York College at Purchase, both 1989
Nastasja, Theatre Benisan, Tokyo, Japan, 1989
Romeo i Julia (also known as Romeo and Juliet), Teatr Powszechny, 1990
Two on a Seesaw, 1990
The Wedding, 1991
Nastasja, 1993
Mishima, 1994
Klatwa, 1997
Slomkowy kapelusz, 1998
Scenic Designer
Kapelusz pelen deszczu (also known as A Hatful of Rain), Teatr Dramatyczny, Gdynia, Poland, 1959
The Demons (also known as The Devils), 1972
November Night, 1974
Film Appearances
Zdjecia probne, 1977
Bez znieczulenia (also known as Rough Treatment and Without Anesthesia), Film Polski, 1978
Wajda's Danton (documentary), Cori Films International/Channel Four Films, 1983
In the Shadow of Hollywood (also known as A l'ombre d'Hollywood), National Film Board of Canada, 2000
Film Work
Director
(Assistant director) Piatka z ulicy Barskiej (also known as Five Boys from Barska Street and Five from the Barska Street), 1954
Pokolenie (also known as A Generation), 1954
Kanal (also known as Canal, Sewer, and They LovedLife), 1957, MJP/Kingsley International, 1961
Popiol i diament (also known as Ashes and Diamonds), 1958,Janus, 1961
Lotna, Film Polski, 1959, Pol-Ton, 1966
Niewinni czarodzieje (also known as Innocent Sorcerers), 1960
Samson, Film Polski, 1961
Sibirska Ledi Magbet (also known as Fury Is a Woman, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, and Siberian Lady Macbeth), Avala Films, 1962

"Warszawa" (some sources cite "Milosc dwudziestolatkow"), in L'Amour avingt ans (also known as Love at Twenty, Amore a vent'anni, Hatachi no koi, Liebe mit Zwanzig, and Milosc dwudziestolatkow), 1962, Embassy, 1963
Popioly (also known as The Ashes), 1965
Vrata raja (also known as The Gates of Heaven, Gates toParadise, The Holy Apes, and Bramy raju), 1967, Jointex, 1968
Wszystko na sprzedaz (also known as Everything for Sale), Film Polski, 1968
Polowanie na muchy (also known as Hunting Flies), 1969
Brzezina (also known as The Birch Wood), Film Polski, 1970
Krajobraz po bitwie (also known as Landscape after Battle, Landscape after the Battle, and Krajobraz na much), Film Polski, 1970
Wesele (also known as The Wedding), Film Polski, 1972
Ziemia obiecana (also known as Land of Promise and The Promised Land), Film Polski, 1974, Tinc Production, 1975
Smuga cienia (also known as The Shadow Line), 1976
Bez znieczulenia (also known as Rough Treatment and Without Anesthesia), Film Polski, 1978
Zaproszenie do wnetrza (documentary; also known as Invitation to the Inside), 1978
(And producer) Czlowiek z marmuru (also known as Man of Marble), 1978, Film Polski, 1979
Panny z Wilka (also known as The Girl from Wilko, Maidens from Wilko, The Maids of Wilko, The Young Girls of Wilko, The Young Ladies of Wilko, Les demoiselles de Wilko, and Sziewka z Wilko), Artificial Eye, 1979
Pogoda domu niechaj bedzie z Toba..., 1979
Dyrygent (also known as The Conductor and The OrchestraConductor), Film Polski/New Yorker, 1979, Cinegate, 1981
Czlowiek z zelaza (also known as Man of Iron), United Artists, 1981
Danton, 1982, Triumph, 1983
Eine Liebe in Deutschland (also known as A Love in Germanyand Un amour en Allemagne), 1983, Triumph/Artificial Eye/Columbia, 1984
Kronika wypadkow milosnych (also known as Chronicle of AmorousAccidents and Chronicle of Love Affairs), Zespoly/Film Group Perspektyva, 1986
Les possedes (also known as The Possessed), Gaumont International, 1987
Katyn, 1989
Korczak (also known as Dr. Korczak), 1990, New Yorker, 1991
Pierscionek z orlem w koronie (also known as The Ring with theCrowned Eagle), 1993
Panna Nikt (also known as Miss Nobody), Studio Filmowe Perspektywa, 1996
Wielki tydzien (also known as Easter Week, Holy Week, and Die Karwoche), Cine Electra, 1996
Pan Tadeusz (also known as Pan Tadeusz: The Last Foray in Lithuania and Pan Tadeusz--Quand Napoleon traversait le Niemen), 1999,FilmArt, 2000
Director; Short Films
Kiedy ty spisz (also known as While You're Asleep), 1950
Zly chlopiec (also known as The Bad Boy), 1950
Ceramika Ilzecka (documentary; also known as The Pottery of Ilza), 1951
Ide do slonca (also known as I Walk to the Sun and Ide ku sloncu), 1955
Executive Producer
Przesluchanie (also known as The Interrogation), Unit X/Zespoly, 1990
Television Work
Director; Series
Przekladaniec (also known as Jigsaw Puzzle and Roly-Poly), Polish television, 1968
Macbeth, Polish television, 1969
(And art director and costume designer) Pilatus und andere--Ein Film fuer Karfreitag (also known as Pilate and the Others), West Germantelevision, 1972
Ziemia obiecana (also known as The Promised Land), Polish television, 1974
Death Class, Polish television, 1976
Also director of November Night.
Television Director
Episodic
Director of Z biegiem lat, z biegiem dni...
Other Television Work
Director
Umarla klasa, 1977
Les francais vus par..., 1988
Nastasja (also known as Anastazja and Natasha), HIT/Say-To Workshop/Television Tokyo Channel 12, 1994
Wyrok na Franciszka Klosa, 2000
WRITINGS
Screenplays
Trzy opowiesci (also known as Three Stories), 1953
(With Jerzy Andrzejewski) Popiol i diament (based on a novel by Andrzejewski; also known as Ashes and Diamonds), 1958, Janus, 1961, published in The Wajda Trilogy, Simon & Schuster (New York City), 1973, and in Ashes and Diamonds; Kanal; A Generation: Three Films, Ungar (New York City), 1984
(With Wojciech Zukrowski) Lotna, Film Polski, 1959, Pol-Ton, 1966
Niewinni czarodzieje (also known as Innocent Sorcerers), 1960
(With Kazimierz Brandys) Samson, Film Polski, 1961
(With Sveta Lukic) Sibirska Ledi Magbet (based on a Russian novel;also known as Fury Is a Woman, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, and Siberian Lady Macbeth), Avala Films, 1962
(With Jerzy Stefan Stawinski) "Warszawa" (some sources cite "Milosc dwudziestolatkow"), in L'Amour a vingt ans (also known as Love at Twenty, Amore a vent'anni, Hatachi no koi, Liebe mit Zwanzig, and Milosc dwudziestolatkow), 1962, Embassy, 1963
Popioly (also known as The Ashes), 1965
(With Andrzejewski) Vrata raja (also known as The Gates of Heaven, Gates to Paradise, The Holy Apes, and Bramy raju), 1967, Jointex, 1968
Wszystko na sprzedaz (also known as Everything for Sale), Film Polski, 1968
Polowanie na muchy (also known as Hunting Flies), 1969
(With Jaroslaw Iwaszkiewicz) Brzezina (also known as The BirchWood), Film Polski, 1970
(With Andrzej Brzozowski) Krajobraz po bitwie (also known as Landscape after Battle, Landscape after the Battle, and Krajobrazna much), Film Polski, 1970
(With Andrzej Kijowki) Wesele (also known as The Wedding),Film Polski, 1972
Ziemia obiecana (also known as Land of Promise and The Promised Land), Film Polski, 1974, Tinc Production, 1975
(With others) Smuga cienia (also known as The Shadow Line),1976
(With Agnieszka Holland) Bez znieczulenia (also known as RoughTreatment and Without Anesthesia), Film Polski, 1978
Zaproszenie do wnetrza (documentary; also known as Invitation to the Inside), 1978
(With Holland, Jean-Claude Carriere, Boleslaw Michalek, and Jacek Gasiorowski) Danton, 1982, Triumph, 1983
(With Holland and Michalek) Eine Liebe in Deutschland (also knownas A Love in Germany and Un amour en Allemagne), 1983, Triumph/Artificial Eye/Columbia, 1984
(With Tadeusz Konwicki) Kronika wypadkow milosnych (also known asChronicle of Amorous Accidents and Chronicle of Love Affairs),Zespoly/Film Group Perspektyva, 1986
(With Holland, Carriere, and Edward Zebrowsky) Les possedes (alsoknown as The Possessed), Gaumont International, 1987
Pierscionek z orlem w koronie (also known as The Ring with theCrowned Eagle), 1993
Panna Nikt (also known as Miss Nobody), Studio Filmowe Perspektywa, 1996
Wielki tydzien (also known as Easter Week, Holy Week, and Die Karwoche), Cine Electra, 1996
Pan Tadeusz (based on an epic poem by Adam Mickiewicz; also knownas Pan Tadeusz: The Last Foray in Lithuania and Pan Tadeusz--QuandNapoleon traversait le Niemen), 1999, FilmArt, 2000
Short Films
Kiedy ty spisz (also known as While You're Asleep), 1950
Zly chlopiec (also known as The Bad Boy), 1950
Ceramika Ilzecka (documentary; also known as The Pottery of Ilza), 1951
Ide do slonca (also known as I Walk to the Sun and Ide ku sloncu), 1955
Teleplays
Series
Przekladaniec (also known as Jigsaw Puzzle and Roly-Poly), Polish television, 1968
Pilatus und andere--Ein Film fuer Karfreitag (also known as Pilate and the Others), West German television, 1972
Other Teleplays
Nastasja (also known as Anastazja and Natasha), HIT/Say-To Workshop/Television Tokyo Channel 12, 1994
Wyrok na Franciszka Klosa, 2000
Nonfiction
Double Vision: My Life in Film (autobiography), Henry Holt (New York City), 1989
(Author of afterword) Jadwiga Kosicka, editor, Theater and Politics, foreword by Daniel Gerould, based on work by Zygmunt Hubner, NorthwesternUniversity Press, 1992
Wajda on Film: A Master's Notes, Acrobat Books, 1992
Wajda Films, 1997
Also contributor of articles to periodicals, including Filmcritica, Films and Filming, and Kino.

Further Reference

ADAPTATIONS

The video Andrzej Wajda's War Trilogy, released by Home Vision in2000, contains the films Ashes and Diamonds, A Generation, andKanal, with English subtitles.

OTHER SOURCES

Books

Falkowska, Janina, Political Films of Andrzej Wajda: Dialogism in Manof Marble, Man of Iron, and Danton, Berghahn Books, 1996
International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, Volume 2: Directors, St. James Press, 1996
Karpinski, Maciej, The Theater of Andrzej Wajda, Cambridge University Press (New York City), 1989

Periodicals

Cineaste, Volume 19, number 4, 1993
Economist, U.S. edition, February 12, 2000, p. 89
Entertainment Weekly, March 1, 2000, p. 148
Variety, February 28, 2000, p. 71

Electronic

Andrzej Wajda Web Site, http://www.wajda.pl, October 18, 2001

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