Wajda Festival opens in New York

Entitled “A Tribute to Andrzej Wajda”, it gives a cross-section of his output, including “A Generation”, “Canal”, “The Promised Land”, “The Maids of Wilko”, “Man of Marble”, and “Man of Iron”.

The Lincoln Center’s brochure says that “for more than half a century, Wajda crafted a filmography that encapsulated the essence of postwar Poland and constitutes, quite simply, one of the great legacies of world cinema”.

In a talk preceding the screening of “Afterimage”, Annette Insdorf, Professor at Columbia University, described Wajda as one of the greatest filmmakers of the last 60 years, “whose films are both a highly personal statements and carry an universal message”. She placed Wajda on a par with such masters as Fellini, Bergman and Truffaut.

The event is organised by Lincoln Center’s Film Society in association with the Polish Cultural Institute in New York. It lasts until 16 February.

Wajda passed away in October 2016, aged ninety. His honours include an Oscar for Lifetime Achievement and four Oscar nominations in the Best Foreign Language Film category. (mk/rg)