As reported on the website of the Ministry of Culture, Wojciech Marczewski “he received the award along with a congratulatory letter on his 80th birthday from Deputy Minister Andrzej Wyrobec during a ceremony held at the headquarters of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.”
“You remain an inspiration for young directors. As a teacher and lecturer at film schools in Poland and abroad, you have educated numerous film school graduates. Working in the belief that the future of cinema belongs to the young generation, you – in accordance with your motto – help all of them who want to make films, not just a career,” wrote Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz, thanking the birthday boy for his artistic and educational achievements.
Wojciech Marczewski (born February 28, 1944 in Łódź) is a co-founder of the TOR Film Group, co-founder, vice-president, program director and lecturer of the Wajda School Foundation and Wajda Studio, as well as a member of the Polish and European Film Academy.
He was honored twice with Silver Lions at the Polish Feature Film Festival – in 1979 for the film “Zmory”which is a film adaptation of the novel by Emil Zegadłowicz, and in 1982 for “Chills” – a film revealing the behind-the-scenes consciousness of a child in the communist era. In 1990 he received Golden Lions for the film “Escape from the Freedom Cinema”telling about the adventures and internal transformation of the censor.
“The director is also a laureate Silver Bear at the Berlinale (1982). In 2002, his film “Weiser” won three statuettes and six nominations for the Orzeł Polish Film Awards,” the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage recalled.
Wojciech Marczewski previously served as vice-president of the Polish Filmmakers Association and president of the Federation of Film Discussion Clubs. In the years 2008-2014 he was a member of the Council of the Polish Film Institute, and in the years 2011-2014 – its chairman.
In 2002, together with Andrzej Wajda, he founded the Andrzej Wajda Master School of Film Directing (currently Wajda School). He was the Dean of the Directing Department at The National Film and TV School of Great Britain in London. He lectured on directing in Germany, Denmark, Switzerland and the Netherlands, as well as at the Directing Department of the State Higher School of Film, Television and Theater in Łódź. In 2001, he obtained the academic title of professor of film art.
He was the artistic supervisor of many film debuts, including: such as “The Burial of a Potato” by JJ Kolski, “300 Miles to Heaven” by M. Dejczer, “Balanga” by Ł. Wylęrzałek, “List” by D. Hasanović, “Erratum” by M. Lechki, as well as the originator of the program “30 minut”, implemented by Studio Munk SFP.
“For outstanding contributions to national culture and achievements in artistic creation, Wojciech Marczewski was awarded the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta and received the Award of the Minister of Culture twice,” it was reported.