THE HOSTAGE OF EUROPE
(JENIEC EUROPY)



1989, 116 min., Poland, France
Polish, French with English subtitles

DIRECTION:
Jerzy Kawalerowicz
SCRIPT:
Jerzy Kawalerowicz
CINEMATOGRAPHY:
Wieslaw Zdrot
ART DIRECTION:
Jacek Turewicz, Milko Marinow, Zdravko Marinov
MUSIC:
Maciej Malecki, Ludwig van Beethoven
EDITING:
Jozef Bartczak
SOUND:
Jerzy Blaszynski
PRODUCED BY:
KADR Film Studio, Cine Alliance SA

CAST:
Roland Blanche (Napoleon Bonaparte), Vernon Dobtcheff (Governor Hudson Lowe), Didier Flamand (General Bertrand), Francois Berleand (General Montholon), Ronald Guttman (General Gourgaud), Isabelle Petit-Jacques (Madame Bertrand), Maria Gladkowska (Madame Montholon)

The former emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte, lives out his last few years on the remote island of St. Helena. A new British governor, Hudson Lowe, arrives, determined to put the once great general in his place. Unfortunately, he has not reckoned with Bonaparte's resilience and unbridled hostility towards the English.

JERZY KAWALEROWICZ

One of the most internationally acclaimed Polish film directors and a leading figure in the Polish Film School movement. Kawalerowicz was noted for his powerful, detail-oriented imagery and the depth of ideas in his films.

Born in Gwozdziec, Poland (now Gvozdets, Ukraine) in 1922. Studied in the Cracow Academy of Fine Arts (1946-1949), and while still there he undertook a Course for Professional Filmmaking (1946). After working as an assistant director in 1946-1949, he made his directorial debut in 1951. In 1955 he was appointed head of the prestigious KADR Film Studio. In the 80's he lectured in the Lodz Film School. Although the Communist Party member from 1954 until its dissolution, he resisted pressures from the administration to produce propaganda films. In 1983 he alienated some of his peers by signing communist government reports criticizing filmmakers aligned with "Solidarity." In 1985-89 he was a member of Polish Parliament. He is a recipient of numerous awards and honors, including life achievement awards from the Polish Film Academy. Mar del Plata and Gdynia Film Festivals. He died in 2007 in Warsaw.

Filmography as a Director:

2001 Quo Vadis;
1995 What For? (Za co?);
1991 Bronstein's Children (Bronsteins kinder);
1989 The Hostage of Europe (Jeniec Europy);
1983 Austeria;
1980 Chance Meeting on the Atlantic (Spotkanie na Atlantyku);
1977 Deat of a President (Smierc prezydenta);
1971 Maddalena;
1968 Game (Gra);
1965 Pharaoh (Faraon); nominated to the Academy Award for the Best Foreign Language Film;
1960 Mother Joan of Angels (Matka Joanna od Aniolow);
1959 Night Train (Pociag);
1957 The Real End of the Great War (Prawdziwy koniec wielkiej wojny);
1956 Shadow (Cien);
1954 Under the Phrygian Star (Pod gwiazda frygijska);
1953 Celulose (Celuloza);
1951 The Village Mill (Gromada).

Thursday, November 20th, 2008 at 7pm (GALLERY THEATRE)