Jerzy Kawalerowicz

Who was Jerzy Kawalerowicz?

Jerzy Kawalerowicz was a Polish film director.

Kawalerowicz was born in Gwoździec, Poland, one of the few Poles living in an ethnically-mixed Ukrainian and Jewish town. Kawalerowicz's father's family originated from Armenia, originally having the surname Kavalarian. Jerzy Kawalerowicz was noted for his powerful, detail-oriented imagery and the depth of ideas in his films. After working as an assistant director, he made his directorial debut with the 1951 film The Village Mill. He was a leading figure in the Polish Film School, and his films Shadow and Night Train constitute some of that movement's best work.

Other noted works by Kawalerowicz include Mother Joan of the Angels and a 1966 adaptation of Bolesław Prus' historical novel, Pharaoh, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

In 1955 Kawalerowicz was appointed head of the prestigious KADR production unit. He held that position again in 1972. He always resisted pressures from the communist administration to produce propaganda films. His studio produced some of the best Polish films by Andrzej Wajda, Tadeusz Konwicki and Juliusz Machulski.