Prague, Oct 10 (CTK) – Polish film-maker Andrzej Wajda, who died on Sunday at the age of 90 years, was a legend of world cinema, Czech politicians told CTK yesterday.
Former Senate deputy chairman and dissident Petr Pithart (Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL) told CTK that Wajda had considerably influenced his relation to Poland.
“This is a sad piece of news – Andrzej Wajda, great European and Polish film director, died on Sunday. Mr Wajda, not only film fans will miss you at present times,” Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (Social Democrats, CSSD) tweeted.
“A legend not only of Polish, but also world cinema has left with Andrzej Wajda. He was able to connect high professional skills with civic responsibility,” Culture Minister Daniel Herman (KDU-CSL) said in reaction to Wajda’s death.
Pithart told CTK that Wajda was of a personal importance to him.
“He appealed to me very strongly, already by his early films such as Kanal (1956) and Ashes and Diamonds (1958). Since then I have a had a very strong relation to Poland, Polish history. I am interested in Poland more than in other countries. I live through its rises and falls. And this is thanks to Andrzej Wajda and his films,” Pithart said.
He expressed hope that the interest in Wajda’s films would increase after his death. “I would be glad if these films appeared on TV now,” he said.
Wajda died of respiratory trouble consequences in Cracow on Sunday evening. He was hospitalised a few days before and was in a coma.
Wajda was shooting films about his country and the soul of Polish people, reflecting big historical events in the lives of ordinary people.
His latest masterpieces include Katyn (2007) about the 1940 Katyn massacre of Polish nationals, mainly officers and intellectuals, by the Soviet law enforcement agency NKVD, which was nominated for Oscar for the Best Foreign Language Film, and Walesa. Man of Hope (2013), a film biography of Polish Solidarity trade union founder and later president Lech Walesa.
Wajda’s films won many awards. He was given an Honorary Academy Award (Oscar) for his life achievement in 2000.
