09/05/2007

Cinema is celebrating the 50th anniversary of "intellectual and artistic training" of the Polish school, which propelled Poland films onto the international stage and towards world renown.

The Polish School period of the late 1950s and early 60s, is one of the most important eras in the history of Polish cinema. The titles produced at the time, by the likes of Andrzej Wajda, Andrzej Munk, Tadeusz Konwicki and Jerzy Has, which went on to win at major festivals such as Cannes and Venice, played a significant role in the development of Polish cinema for future generations.

So-called Polish School films are not similar to each other from a stylistic point of view or in terms of the subjects dealt with. They were, however, characterised by the negation of Communist aestheticism, formal richness and a preference for history.

The celebration of the anniversary, organised by the Polish Film Institute (PISF), will be opened with a special screening in Warsaw’s Muranow cinema of a restored version of Wajda’s Kanał – a title which marked the birth of the Polish School. Films from the Polish School will be presented throughout the year on public television, in cinemas and at the Kazimierz, Dolny and Gdynia Film Festivals.

Several publications are planned: Kanał by Don Fredericksen and Marek Hendrykowski, the beautiful book Głosy wolności (“Voices of Freedom”) by Stanisław Zawiślański and a series of volumes on Ludzie Polskiego Kina (“The Personalities of Polish Cinema”).

The most important titles have been restored and put together in a DVD collection, the first ten of which will appear in the autumn. Fisz and Emade, renowned young musicians, are preparing an album from the music films from this period. In some Polish cities we can see "Diamonds of the Polish School" – an exhibition on film posters from the era.

This autumn, films of the Polish school will be presented to the Japanese public in Osaka as part of the PISF festival.

(Translated from French)