Andrzej Wajda
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6.5 Kanal (1956)
7.2 Ashes and Diamonds (1958)
6.5 Innocent Sorcerers (1960)
6.5 Ashes (1965)
6.7 Everything for Sale (1969)
7.0 Birch Wood (1970)
7.1 The Promised Land (1974)
6.7 Marble Man (1976)
6.8 The Maids of Wilko (1979)
5.0 Iron Man (1981)
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Andrzej Wajda, the son of a cavalry officer, joined the Resistance against the invading Germans when he was still a teenager. He studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kracow and then enrolled in the prestigious Film School of Lodz, where he made a number of short films and graduated in 1952.

Wajda è il regista polacco nei cui film si riflette più tempestivamente e drammaticamente la storia della nazione. Il costume e il destino del suo popolo sono costantemente al centro della sua opera, non a caso quasi sempre ricavata dalla letteratura.

Il suo debutto avviene con una trilogia bellica che presentava diverse caratteristiche originali: il pessimismo cupo di fondo, l'attenta analisi della crisi dei giovani combattenti fra realtà e utopia, le lacerazioni politiche e sociali, l'eroismo come sacrificio, la fede nella tradizione, immagini crude e violente. In questa trilogia i protagonisti rispettano ancora le regole del Realismo Socialista, benché paure ed errori ne minino in profondità l'integrità.

Wajda trasferisce con questi film l'umore cinematografico americano nel contesto sociale polacco: la ribellione adolescenziale di James Dean nelle movenze confuse del partigiano che uccide un vecchio comunista, i miseri sobborghi di New York in quelli di Varsavia dopo la guerra, il simbolismo cerebrale di Wellis nei paralleli e nelle coincidenze della trama, l'ironica nostalgia di Fellini nelle rievocazioni del passato, etc...

Pokolenie/ Generazione (1954), adapted from a propaganda novel by Bohdan Czeszko, starring Tadeusz Lomnicki in the main role and Roman Polanski and Zbigniew Cybulski in minor roles, photographed by Jerzy Lipman and Stefan Matyjaszkiewicz, was a romantic parable of partisans (she a longtime member of the Resistance, he converted by her love, she shot by the Germans, he embarking on a long war), although it was still very much in the prevailing vein of socialist realism (it even portrayed members of the Polish army as Nazi collaborators, perhaps the result of Aleksander Ford's interference).

During World War II, a young man named Stach Mazur, together with his friends Kostek and Zyzio, leads a carefree life, despite the fact that the war is underway. One day, when they are stealing coal from German train transports passing through Warsaw, Zyzio is shot by a German sentry, while Kostek jumps off the train and disappears. Trying to find Kostek, Stach encounters a drunkard who leads him to a bar. There Stach is introduced to carpenter Sekula, who arranges for him to work in the carpentry shop of industrialists Waldemar and Ryszard Berg, who collaborate with the Germans, where a Polish army cell operates. While apprenticing at the factory, Stach befriends another young man with no work experience, who turns out to be a Jew into hiding, Jas Krone. Sekula initiates Stach into the activities of the communist Resistance, indoctrinates him about capitalist exploitation and encourages him to study Marxism. During his clandestine study, Stach meets Dorota, a communist activist. Under her influence, he steals a revolver from the workshop, ready to join the partisans. Stach's hatred towards the Germans grows after he is falsely accused of stealing and is brutally beaten. Stach decides, together with Jas and others, to take action without permission from the Resistance and kill the hate German commander. Dorota condemns the reckless attack, and Sekula sends Stach to fight with the insurgents in the Warsaw Ghetto. Jas joins the fight but, cornered by the Germans, commits suicide. Stach witnesses Dorota being arrested by the Germans and cannot do anything to help her. A heartbroken Stach determines nevertheless to continue the fight against the Germans and take command of the remnants of the group.

Kanal (1956), adapted from a story by Jerzy Stawinski, chronicles the desperate vicissitudes of a group of insurgents trying in vain to escape Warsaw after the failure of the insurrection, a slow carnage of helpless human beings, in a harrowing progression of fear and horror. We watch them die one by one: not one will survive.

During the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, a platoon of Polish soldiers, led by "Zadra," is marching through ruined Warsaw. We are introduced to musician Michal, to "Smukly" ("Slender"), who meets a courageous female soldier, and "Korab", who flirts with officer "Stokrotka", When they learn that the uprising has failed, they realize that the choice is between being killed by the Germans or escape through the sewers. "Korab" is wounded in a firefight with the Germans. "Zadra" receives the order to escape through the sewers. The platoon splits into three groups: the one led by "Zadra", the trio of Michal, "Madry" ("Wise"), and his lover "Halinka", and the couple of "Korab" and "Stokrotka. The journey takes a toll on the mental sanity of the soldiers. Michal goes mad and gets lost in the sewers reciting Dante Alighieri and playing an ocarina. "Stokrotka" and "Korab" reach the end of the sewer but then realize that they are trapped behing iron bars and resigned themselves to die there. "Madry" confesses to "Halinka" that he has a wife and children, and then she kills herself. "Madry" and others manage to get out of the sewers but only to be captured by the Germans, who execute them. Zadra's group finds another exit but it has been blocked with explosives. "Smukly" tries heroically to disable the explosives but is killed in the explosion. This opens the exit for the rest of his group. It's only when he emerges from the sewer that Zadra realizes he has lost his entire group except the coward "Kula", who didn't tell him that the rest got separated. Zadra, furious, kills Kula and reenters the sewers to rescue the survivors.

Popiol i Diament/ Ashes and Diamonds (1958), his masterpiece, adapted from Jerzy Andrzejewski's 1948 novel, starring Zbigniew Cybulski as a sort of Polish James Dean, and photographed by Jerzy Wojcik, is set at the end of the war, with a hero who is tired of killing, and is a film full of symbols. e` incentrato invece sulla stanchezza della guerra: deposte le armi, i giovani vorrebbero assaporare la vita, sono sazi di eroismo; il protagonista è invece incaricato di sopprimere il capo dei comunisti del suo villaggio; fa l'amore in una chiesa diroccata, in mezzo ai cadaveri putrefatti, con una ragazza che potrebbe rappresentare per lui un futuro sereno; compie la missione, ma poi viene inseguito e ferito a morte, e spira, dopo una lunga agonia, in uno scarico di rifiuti, mentre nell'albergo si svolge una grottesca orgia per festeggiare la pace.

L'espressionismo barocco di questo film accentua la crudeltà del regista, che non lesina scene raccapriccianti per spiegare come gli orrori della guerra non si esauriscono con la fine della guerra.

In seguito il regista modera i toni truci dei suoi drammi metaforici.

Lotna (1959), adapted from a story by Wojciech Zukrowski, il più metafisico della serie, descrive il massacro della fiera cavalleria polacca ad opera dei carri armati tedeschi, ed abbonda di metafore concettuali (una lancia conficcata in una bacca color sangue, un velo di sposa impigliato nel coperchio di una bara).

The comedy Niewinni Czarodzieje/ Innocent Sorcerers (1960), co-scripted by Jerzy Skolimowski and Jerzy Andrzejewski, focused on the disaffected post-war youth (a womanizing doctor who is also a jazz drummer falls in love with a virgin who gives herself to him) offended both the Catholic Church and the Communist Party.

Samson (1961), adapted from Kazimierz Brandys' novel, ritorna alla guerra, descrivendo la fuga di un ebreo del ghetto, destinato comunque a morire.

Con questi film interlocutori Wajda ha definitivamente abbandonato l'espressionismo e ha al tempo stesso affinato l'arte della metafora.

Sibirska Ledi Magbet/ Lady Macbeth of Mtensk (1962) is an adaptation of Nikolai Leskov's novella.

Warsaw (1962)

Popioly/ Ashes (1965), starring Daniel Olbrychski, is a four-hour historical epic, set in the Napoleonic era.

Gates to Paradise (1967), based on Jerzy Andrzejewski's novel and set in medieval France

Wszystko na Sprzedaz/ Everything for Sale (1968), a film about a film, photographed by Witold Sobocinski, is a tribute to Zbigniew Cybulski. The film is about an actor who disappears and a director who decides to make a film about him instead of the original film, and have his wife and his lover play themselves.

Polowanie na Muchy/ Hunting Flies (1969)

Krajobraz po Bitwie/ Landscape after the Battle (1970), starring Daniel Olbrychski, che ritorna alla seconda Guerra Mondiale, ancor meno realista e più introspettivo, allegoria della confusione esistenziale e politica che dilaga in Polonia: in un lager ancora pieno di prigionieri nonostante la liberazione, un poeta si innamora di un'ebrea ed evade con lei dal campo per una passeggiata fra le rovine della battaglia; al rientro, per errore, la donna viene uccisa dalla sentinella americana e il poeta, caricati tutti i suoi libri su un carretto, si mette in marcia verso casa. Il senso cristiano del dolore e la convinzione che le brutalità degli uomini non siano soltanto effetto della guerra (semmai viceversa). Anche qui la morale finale è che bisogna andare avanti, non basta aver vinto la guerra e inneggiare alla patria.

Brzezina/ Birch Wood (1970), starring again Daniel Olbrychski, lirico e vibrante, racconta la fine di un giovane polacco, malato senza speranza, che trascorre l'agonia ospite del fratello in un bosco di betulle; l'incalzare della morte scatena i suoi istinti vitali, in contrasto con le abitudini riservate del fratello, vedovo in lutto e succube dei ricordi. Ma il morituro riesce a far capire che c'è una figlia da crescere, che la vita continua. Wajda ha ripiegato definitivamente sui temi privati della vita, della morte e dell'amore. LA muta eternità del bosco di betulle domina con il cipiglio affettuoso e severo del tempo.

Wesele/ The Wedding (1972), adapted from Stanislaw Wyspianski's 1901 play and highlighted by Witold Sobocinski's camera work, trasforma l'orgia del dramma, dove le classi sociali si confondono, e altresì presente e passato si invertono, in una mista premonizione del futuro della nazione. L'incubo è reso da un tour de force della macchina da presa.

Pilatus und Andere (1972), girato in Germania, rivisita il Vangelo ambientandolo nell'era industriale: Cristo è un hippy che viene crocifisso presso un'autostrada senza che nessuno si curi di aiutarlo; Pilato è un vecchio, debole e malato, torturato dal rimorso che fa sopprimere la spia depravata Giuda nei sordidi bassifondi della città; e Matteo getta al vento una manciata di fogli bianchi, gli appunti sbiaditi delle gesta divine.

The generational parable Ziemia Obiecana/ The Promised Land (1974), his adaptation of a Wladyslaw Reymont novel (1898), starring again Daniel Olbrychski, is one of his best films, set among turn-of-the-century nobility and centered on three greedy young men (an aristocrat, a German immigrant and a Jew) who disrepect the older generation, the "mummified gentry". One becomes a wealthy mill owner and orders to shoot on striking workers (a veiled reference to the 1970 riots).

Wajda made a TV adaptation of Tadeusz Kantor's theater piece "Umarla Klasa/ The Dead Class" (1975).

Smuga Cienia/ The Shadow Line (1976),

The bold Czlowiek z Marmoru/ Man of Marble (1976), scripted by Aleksander Scibor-Rylski, which employs documentary footage, is surprisingly critical of the Stalinist era as a film about political corruption, and the audience could easily see a reference to the strike and riot (and following massacre) that took place in Gdansk in 1970. The film also questions the role of the filmmaker in society. Some scenes seem influenced by Orson Welles' Citizen Kane.

Agnieszka, a young film school student, is encouraged to make a film in the vein of socialist realism about the industrial achievements of the Stalinist era. In a museum she gets fascinated by the story of a labor leader called Mateusz Birkut, and watches documentary footage made by a famous director when he was young. He made two documentaries: one depicting the working conditions of the workers in Birkut's factory, and the other one of pure propaganda. Agnieszka visits the famous director, Burski, who tells her the story of this Birkut, a sort of Polish Stakhanov. After Burski's documentary of Birkut's record-setting work, Birkut became a celebrity and was dispatched by the regime around the country, accompanied by another worker called Witek and by security officer Michalak. Agnieszka visits Michalak, who tells her how Birkut's career ended: he got injured, his friend Witek was unjustly accusing of sabotage, Birkut tried in vain to rescue Witek, the authorities then persecutred Birkut. Agnieszka watches documentary footage of the trial of Witek and Birkut, where Birkut proudly told the truth but this way also offended the authorities. She then tracks down Witek, who has become the manager of a factory. Witek tells Agnieszka that Birkut's wife Hanka dumped him after he fell in disgrace. Agnieszka travels to the village where Birkut used to live and meets with Hanka, but Hanka is useless. Agnieszka cannot track down Birkut's son, Maciek. Back in Warsaw, she is discouraged to continue the documentary that is beginning to sound dangerous, but her father, a humble railroad worker, persuades her to complete the film. She finally tracks down Maciek Birkut's son, at the Gdansk shipyard. Maciek reveals that Birkut died and doesn't provide details (but the audience would certainly guess that he died in the Gdansk riots). Agnieszka invites him to travel to Warsaw and help her convince her superiors to support the documentary on Birkut.

Wajda greatly simplified his cinematic language, removing metaphors and symbols, streamlining the narrativeand shunning baroque visuals, for Bez Znieczulenia/ Without Anesthesia (1977), scripted by Agnieszka Holland, a quiet indictment of the political system.

Wajda adopted yet another style for Panny z Wilka/ The Maids of Wilko (1979), the adaptation of a novella by Jaroslaw Iwaszkiewicz, a gentle, nostalgic tale that is mostly a visual poem.

Dyrygent/ The Conductor (1980), Starring British actor John Gielgud è il "prova d'orchestra" di Wajda, nel quale il vecchio direttore morirà fra la folla per strada senza neppure riuscire a salire sul podio.

In 1980 Wajda visited the Gdansk shipyards where workers were striking.

Czlowiek z Zelaza/ Iron Man (1981), scripted by Aleksander Scibor-Rylski, continues the story of Man of Marble, centering this time on an alcoholic reporter who is forced to smear the leader of the protesting workers, but the film is a very minor work. When the film opened in Poland, it became the most viewed Polish film of all time, but a few weeks later it was banned while martial law was declared on the country by general Wojciech Jaruzelski. Wajda then moved abroad.

Il clima politico di Wajda partorisce ancora Danton (1982), fatto in Francia, scripted by Jean-Claude Carriere, Agnieszka Holland and others, in cui il più umano dei rivoluzionari francesi è una metafora di Walesa.

Wajda then made the German-language Eine Liebe in Deutschland/ A Love in Germany (1983), adapted from Rolf Hochhuth's novel by Bolestaw Michalek and Agnieszka Holland, starring Hanna Schygulla. It is a love story set in World War II about the scandalous and doomed affair between a German woman (married to a German soldier fighting at the front) and a Polish prisoner of war.

Kronika Wypadkow Milosnych/ Chronicle of a Love Affair (1986), from a novel by Tadeusz Konwicki, set in 1939 just before the German invasion,

Les Possedes (1987)

He returned to Poland when communism was falling. Korczak (1990) is the biopic of a Jewish pediatrician who became a popular radio host and could have fled in time but instead chose to remain in the Jewish ghetto and share the fate of the Jewish children.

Pierscionek z Orlem w Koronie/ Crowned-Eagle Ring (1992)

Nastasja (1994)

Wielki Tydzien/ Holy Week (1995)

Panna Nikt/ Miss Nobody (1996)

Wajda also decided to make yet another adaptation of Adam Mickiewicz's poem, Pan Tadeusz (1999), a lavish costume drama that became a national blockbuster.

Katyn (2007) talks about the massacre of 22,000 Polish citizens by the Soviet secret police, a personal tragedy because his father was one of the victims.

Tatarak/ Sweet Rush (2009) is an old man's meditation on life and death, with a married woman who doesn't know that she's dying of cancer falling in love with a younger man and with a monologue by the actress playing such woman about the death of her real-life husband.

Afterimage (2016), scripted by Andrzej Mularczyk and photographed by Pawel Edelman, was a tribute to Wladyslaw Strzeminski, persecuted by the Communist Party.

Wajda died in 2016.

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