Zanussi was supposed to appear at the screening of the film “Murder in Catamout”, a 1974 American-German co-production. The meeting was to be led by critic Łukasz Maciejewski. The absence of the creator of “Spiral” was explained by producer Iwona Strzałkowska. According to her, the director had an accident, as a result of which he had to undergo urgent surgery.
According to the Wirtualna Polska portal, the creator of “Protective Colors” woke up after the procedure on Friday, April 19. The surgery involved the removal of a hematoma.
Zanussi began his artistic career almost six decades ago. His cinema combines the themes of science and spirituality, trying to find a balance between them. His characters are often lost people looking for meaning or answers to existential questions.
Zanussi has been awarded many times at the most important festivals. Over the years, he has received, among others, the Golden Lion in Venice (for “The Year of the Quiet Sun”), the Jury Prize in Cannes (for “Constans”) and the Golden Leopard in Locarno (for “Illumination”). He is also a two-time winner of the Golden Lions, the most important awards FPFF in Gdynia (for “Protective Colors” i “Life as a deadly sexually transmitted disease”).
In 2019, he received the Platinum Lion for lifetime achievement. In the same year, during the Eagles, i.e. Polish Film Awards, Zanussi was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award. “Eagles are a nice symbol. (…) They are a symbol of freedom. And art cannot exist without freedom,” Zanussi said. “Today, we, the creators of audiovisual stories, face a difficult situation. Because the world lives without dreams.” Finally, the creator of “Contract” jokingly wished that “this award would not be a tombstone.”