ASHES AND DIAMONDS

Cast
Zbigniew Cybulski (Maciek Chełmicki), Ewa Krzyżewska (Krystyna), Wacław Zastrzeżyński (Szczuka), Adam Pawlikowski (Andrzej), Bogumił Kobiela (Drewnowski)

It’s May 8^th, 1945, and Nazi Germany has just surrendered. The war is over, but not in Poland. As the German army scatters and retreats, the remaining Russian forces and Polish resistance fighters must work out the hierarchies of power in “liberated” Communist Poland. A member of the Polish underground, Maciek, is given orders to kill the secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party. Coincidence causes him to kill the wrong man. Coming to face to face with his intended victim, Maciek is shocked. To correct his mistake, he must kill again. Meanwhile he meets Krystyna, a girl who works in the bar at a hotel Monopol restaurant. As his feelings for her deepen, so does his feeling of the senselessness of killing when the war has ended.

ANDRZEJ WAJDA
Born in 1926 in Suwałki, died on October 9, 2016 in Warsaw. Director and cowriter. Studied Painting at the Fine Arts Academy in Krakow (1946-50), graduated from Film Directing at the Łódź Film School (1960). Head of “X” Film Studio (1972-1983), president of Polish Filmmakers’ Association (1973-1983), director of Teatr Powszechny in Warsaw (1989-1990), senator of Republic of Poland (1989-1991). Member of Institut de France – Academie des Beaux-Arts, BAFTA, European Film Academy and American Film Academy. Recipient of hundreds of film awards and awards for lifetime achievement. In 2000 he received an Oscar as the Honorary Award for five decades of extraordinary film direction. Awarded honorary degrees at numerous universities, including Washington, Bologna, Cracow, Warsaw, Moscow and Gdansk, as well as Fine Arts Academy in Warsaw, Łódź Film School and WGIK in Moscow. Honorary citizen of many Polish cities. Founder (2002) and lecturer of the Andrzej Wajda Master School of Film Directing.

SELECTED FILMOGRAPHY
2016 Afterimage (Powidoki)
2013 Walesa. Man of Hope (Wałęsa człowiek z nadziei)
2009 Sweet Rush (Tatarak)
2007 Katyń; Oscar nomination, Best Foreign Language ‘08
2002 The Revenge (Zemsta)
1999 Pan Tadeusz
1996 Miss Nobody (Panna Nikt)
1995 Holy Week (Wielki tydzień)
1990 Korczak
1985 A Chronicle of Amorous Accidents (Kronika wypadków miłosnych)
1982 Danton
1981 Man of Iron (Człowiek z żelaza); Grand Prix in Cannes ’81, Oscar nomination, Best Foreign Language ‘82
1979 The Conductor (Dyrygent); FIPRESCI Award in San Sebastian ’80
The Maids of Wilko (Panny z Wilka); Oscar nomination, Best Foreign Language ‘80
1978 Rough Treatment (Bez znieczulenia)
1976 Man of Marble (Człowiek z marmuru); FIPRESCI Award in Cannes ‘78
1975 The Promised Land (Ziemia obiecana); Oscar nomination, Best Foreign Film ’76, Gold Hugo at Chicago International Film Festival ’75, Gold Medal at Moscow Film Festival ’75, Grand Prize at Valladolid Film Festival ’75
1972 The Wedding (Wesele)
1970 Landscape After the Battle (Krajobraz po bitwie)
The Birch Wood (Brzezina)
1968 Everything For Sale (Wszystko na sprzedaż)
1965 Ashes (Popioły)
1959 Lotna
1958 Ashes and Diamonds (Popiół i diament); FIPRESCI Award in Venice ’59
1957 Canal (Kanał); Special Jury Award in Cannes ’57
1954 Generation (Pokolenie)