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ABOUT CULTURE - 04.2009
An award for Krystian Lupa
The eminent Polish theater director, Krystian Lupa, has recently received the Premio Europa per il Teatro award, which has been awarded annually since 1986. This award has been called the Oscar of the theater world. In previous years it was given to such outstanding artists of the theater such as Peter Brook, Vaclav Havel and Pina Bausch. For the first time, the award ceremony will take place in Poland, in Wrocław, as part of the celebrations of the Year of Grotowski. Some of the shows directed by Lupa will be shown, including „Faktory 2”, „Prezydentki” and extensive parts of the newest performance, „Persona”.
A rogue punished
The well-known French theater director Jacques Lassalle is cooperating with the National Theater for the second time. Three years ago, he directed „Tartuffe” (The Imposter) by Moliere. This time, he took on the directing task of a comedy by Pierre de Marivaux, „La Fausse Suivante, ou le Fourbe puni”, which had never been performed in Poland before. The director was pleased with the Polish actors he worked with, who, in his opinion, „have fantasy, and versatile abilities.”
12 authors for the award
The Prize for European Literature, for upcoming talents, is an idea of the European Commission. It is intended to promote the cultural diversity of Europe. Poland is in the first group of countries participating in the competition, along with Austria, Croatia, France, Ireland, Lithuania, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden, Hungary, and Italy. The jury in each country will declare a winner by mid-May. Twelve young authors are competing in our country for the Prize for European Literature. The awards ceremony will take place in September, in Brussels.
A Pole in the YouTube orchestra
YouTube, using internet interviews, has put together a 90 person orchestra, which will perform at the New York Carnegie Hall. Among the musicians there is also a Pole, Paweł Czarny, from Mielec, who plays the viola; in April, he will take part in rehearsals of the orchestra, in New York. And after the rehearsals... there will be a huge concert organized by YouTube in the famous Carnegie Hall.
Faye Dunaway in a Polish film
In a film with a plot based on the drama „Balladyna” by the great Polish poet Juliusz Słowacki (1809-1849) which is being made in Hollywood by Polish director Dariusz Zawiślak, Polish actors will be accompanied by the famous American star Faye Dunaway, who is known from films like „Chinatown” or „Bonnie and Clyde.” The actress will play the role of Dr. Ash, modeled on the fantasy character Pustelnik from the drama by Słowacki. The plot of the film will not take place in a fantasy land, however, but in New York. Faye Dunaway visited Poland some time ago. She disclosed that a film about the famous singer, Maria Callas, would soon be made in our country, in which Dunaway would play the main role.
A Festival of „Jewish Motifs”
On the 28th of April, at the Warsaw Muranów cinema, the sixth annual International „Jewish Motifs” Film Festival will begin. Once again, spectators will have the chance to acquaint themselves with films with Jewish subject matter, which were made around the world over the last three years. On the screens in the Zbyszek and Gerard theater rooms full-length feature films and documentaries will be shown, as well as experimental ones, from countries like Israel, the USA, Croatia, Slovakia, Germany, Great Britain, Morrocco, or Peru. A few Polish titles will also be in the running for the Warsaw Feniks Award. There will be a special block of animated films sent by students from Israeli film schools. The tradition of the Festival is an annual retrospective of creations by outstanding filmmakers with Jewish roots, whose artistic activities have contributed to the development of world cinematography to a great degree. In previous years, the organizers presented the films of directors like Sidney Lumet, Claude Lelouch, Artur Brauner or Janusz Morgenstern. This year, the Honorary Guest of the Jewish Motifs Festival will be Adam Holender, a cameraman who was born in Cracow and educated in Łódź, who has mainly been working in the United States, with the most outstanding directors, since 1966.
Angelina Jolie and… Daniel Olbrychski
The outstanding Polish actor, Daniel Olbrychski, who is also known for his roles in French, Italian, German and Russian films, will act in an American film alongside the famous Angelina Jolie. The film, titled „Salt,” will be a big Hollywood production in which Olbrychski will appear in the role of a Russian secret service worker. The title role has been given to Angelina Jolie. Daniel Olbrychski is a versatile actor with a fluent command of several languages, so it seems quite natural that he has an international career.
A film about Wałęsa
A film will be made about Lech Wałęsa. The outstanding Polish director and Oscar laureate, Andrzej Wajda, who is also a good friend of the leader of „Solidarność”, has undertaken this project. It will not be an easy film to make, says the director, because it is difficult to show a living historical figure accurately – and at that, such a multi-dimensional and dynamic one as Lech Wałęsa, who is a Nobel Prize winner and a world-famous Pole. The famous film director, Agnieszka Holland, who started her international directing career at Andrzej Wajda’s side, has started writing the script. Wałęsa is supposed to be shown in this film somewhat differently than everyone is used to – because it is through the eyes of his wife, Danuta. In the photo: Lech Wałęsa with Andrzej Wajda in 1981
The eminent Polish theater director, Krystian Lupa, has recently received the Premio Europa per il Teatro award, which has been awarded annually since 1986. This award has been called the Oscar of the theater world. In previous years it was given to such outstanding artists of the theater such as Peter Brook, Vaclav Havel and Pina Bausch. For the first time, the award ceremony will take place in Poland, in Wrocław, as part of the celebrations of the Year of Grotowski. Some of the shows directed by Lupa will be shown, including „Faktory 2”, „Prezydentki” and extensive parts of the newest performance, „Persona”.
A rogue punished
The well-known French theater director Jacques Lassalle is cooperating with the National Theater for the second time. Three years ago, he directed „Tartuffe” (The Imposter) by Moliere. This time, he took on the directing task of a comedy by Pierre de Marivaux, „La Fausse Suivante, ou le Fourbe puni”, which had never been performed in Poland before. The director was pleased with the Polish actors he worked with, who, in his opinion, „have fantasy, and versatile abilities.”
12 authors for the award
The Prize for European Literature, for upcoming talents, is an idea of the European Commission. It is intended to promote the cultural diversity of Europe. Poland is in the first group of countries participating in the competition, along with Austria, Croatia, France, Ireland, Lithuania, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden, Hungary, and Italy. The jury in each country will declare a winner by mid-May. Twelve young authors are competing in our country for the Prize for European Literature. The awards ceremony will take place in September, in Brussels.
A Pole in the YouTube orchestra
YouTube, using internet interviews, has put together a 90 person orchestra, which will perform at the New York Carnegie Hall. Among the musicians there is also a Pole, Paweł Czarny, from Mielec, who plays the viola; in April, he will take part in rehearsals of the orchestra, in New York. And after the rehearsals... there will be a huge concert organized by YouTube in the famous Carnegie Hall.
Faye Dunaway in a Polish film
In a film with a plot based on the drama „Balladyna” by the great Polish poet Juliusz Słowacki (1809-1849) which is being made in Hollywood by Polish director Dariusz Zawiślak, Polish actors will be accompanied by the famous American star Faye Dunaway, who is known from films like „Chinatown” or „Bonnie and Clyde.” The actress will play the role of Dr. Ash, modeled on the fantasy character Pustelnik from the drama by Słowacki. The plot of the film will not take place in a fantasy land, however, but in New York. Faye Dunaway visited Poland some time ago. She disclosed that a film about the famous singer, Maria Callas, would soon be made in our country, in which Dunaway would play the main role.
A Festival of „Jewish Motifs”
On the 28th of April, at the Warsaw Muranów cinema, the sixth annual International „Jewish Motifs” Film Festival will begin. Once again, spectators will have the chance to acquaint themselves with films with Jewish subject matter, which were made around the world over the last three years. On the screens in the Zbyszek and Gerard theater rooms full-length feature films and documentaries will be shown, as well as experimental ones, from countries like Israel, the USA, Croatia, Slovakia, Germany, Great Britain, Morrocco, or Peru. A few Polish titles will also be in the running for the Warsaw Feniks Award. There will be a special block of animated films sent by students from Israeli film schools. The tradition of the Festival is an annual retrospective of creations by outstanding filmmakers with Jewish roots, whose artistic activities have contributed to the development of world cinematography to a great degree. In previous years, the organizers presented the films of directors like Sidney Lumet, Claude Lelouch, Artur Brauner or Janusz Morgenstern. This year, the Honorary Guest of the Jewish Motifs Festival will be Adam Holender, a cameraman who was born in Cracow and educated in Łódź, who has mainly been working in the United States, with the most outstanding directors, since 1966.
Angelina Jolie and… Daniel Olbrychski
The outstanding Polish actor, Daniel Olbrychski, who is also known for his roles in French, Italian, German and Russian films, will act in an American film alongside the famous Angelina Jolie. The film, titled „Salt,” will be a big Hollywood production in which Olbrychski will appear in the role of a Russian secret service worker. The title role has been given to Angelina Jolie. Daniel Olbrychski is a versatile actor with a fluent command of several languages, so it seems quite natural that he has an international career.
A film about Wałęsa
A film will be made about Lech Wałęsa. The outstanding Polish director and Oscar laureate, Andrzej Wajda, who is also a good friend of the leader of „Solidarność”, has undertaken this project. It will not be an easy film to make, says the director, because it is difficult to show a living historical figure accurately – and at that, such a multi-dimensional and dynamic one as Lech Wałęsa, who is a Nobel Prize winner and a world-famous Pole. The famous film director, Agnieszka Holland, who started her international directing career at Andrzej Wajda’s side, has started writing the script. Wałęsa is supposed to be shown in this film somewhat differently than everyone is used to – because it is through the eyes of his wife, Danuta. In the photo: Lech Wałęsa with Andrzej Wajda in 1981
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Information published at 6 April 2009