Walesa biopic ‘very difficult’ says Wajda

Wajda at Off Plus camera festival: photo - PaP/Jacek Bednarczyk

Speaking at Krakow's Off Plus Camera Film Festival, the director praised his leading couple, Robert Wieckiewicz (Lech Walesa) and Agnieszka Grochowska (Danuta Walesa).

“I think that they are fantastic actors and that they were waiting for such roles to come along,” he said.

However, the director acknowledged that he is bracing himself for criticism.

“I'm not going to have an easy life after the film is finished,” he said.

“The heroes of this story are still alive, and there are as many versions [of the events] as there were participants,” he said.

“Everyone has their own point of view, believing that certain events and not others should be shown on the screen.”

Once shooting finishes, documentary footage will be woven into the film, and the director is hoping for an October premiere.

The 86-year-old director was attending a festival screening of The Promised Land, his 1974 Oscar-nominated film about the Industrial Revolution in the city of Lodz.

On seeing the freshly restored film, he said that “it was as if we had made it yesterday,” was delighted that the movie was “still communicating with audiences.”

The Off Plus Camera Festival runs until 22 April. (nh/pg)

Source: PAP