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Krzysztof Kieslowski Biography

Birth Name:Krzysztof Kieslowski

Birth Place:Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland

Profession Writer, Director, Soundtrack

Fast Facts

  • Nominated for some 62 filmmaking awards throughout his short career
  • Unable to focus on a specific career as a teen, he only attended the College for Theatre Technicians because it was run by a relative at the time
  • Passed away at the age of 54 while undergoing heart surgery following a heart attack
  • Often sought to bring light to ordinary lives of people in his native Poland, but found that making accurate films regarding this subject brought unwanted political conflict with the local government
  • Officially announced his retirement from filmmaking at the premiere of his final film, "Red"
  • In order to avoid compulsory military service in his youth, he completed a radical diet in order to look unfit for service

Awards

  • 1974Special Jury Prize-: winner
  • 1974Golden Hobby-Horse of Cracow-: winner
  • 1975Grand Prize-: winner
  • 1976Critics Award-Television Film: winner
  • 1976Silver Lions-Television Film: winner
  • 1976Special Jury Prize-: winner
  • 1978Gold Hugo-Best Feature: nominated
  • 1979Golden Hobby-Horse of Cracow-: winner
  • 1979FIPRESCI Prize-: winner
  • 1979FIPRESCI Prize-: winner
  • 1979Golden Prize-: winner
  • 1979Golden Lions-: winner
  • 1979Silver Medal-: winner
  • 1980Interfilm Award - Otto Dibelius Film Award-Forum of New Cinema: winner
  • 1980Gold Hugo-Best Feature: winner
  • 1981Honorable Mention-: winner
  • 1987Un Certain Regard Award-: nominated
  • 1987Silver Lions-: winner
  • 1988Golden Reel-Best Polish Film: winner
  • 1988Top 10 Film Award-Best Film: winner
  • 1988Jury Prize-: winner
  • 1988FIPRESCI Prize-: winner
  • 1988Palme d'Or-: nominated
  • 1988One Future Prize-: winner
  • 1988Best Screenplay-: winner
  • 1988Golden Lions-: winner
  • 1988Golden Lions-: winner
  • 1988OCIC Award-: winner
  • 1988Special Prize of the Jury-: winner
  • 1989Gold Hugo-Best Feature: nominated
  • 1989OCIC Award - Honorable Mention-: winner
  • 1989Audience Award-Best Feature: winner
  • 1989Critics Award-: winner
  • 1989Children and Cinema Award-: winner
  • 1989FIPRESCI Prize-Competition: winner
  • 1990Bodil-Best European Film (Bedste europæiske film): winner
  • 1990Robert-Best Foreign Film (Årets udenlandske spillefilm): winner
  • 1990Critics Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
  • 1990European Silver Ribbon-: winner
  • 1991Golden Reel-Best Polish Film: winner
  • 1991Bodil-Best European Film (Bedste europæiske film): winner
  • 1991Palme d'Or-: nominated
  • 1991Prize of the Ecumenical Jury-: winner
  • 1991FIPRESCI Prize-: winner
  • 1991Gold Hugo-Best Feature: nominated
  • 1991Critics Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
  • 1991Audience Award-: winner
  • 1992Silver Condor-Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): nominated
  • 1992Independent Spirit Award-Best Foreign Film: nominated
  • 1992Critics Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
  • 1993Special Jury Prize-Special Jury Award: winner
  • 1993LAFCA Award-Best Foreign Film: nominated
  • 1993Little Golden Lion-: winner
  • 1993Golden Ciak-Best Film: winner
  • 1993Golden Lion-: winner
  • 1993OCIC Award-: winner
  • 1994ASECAN Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
  • 1994Amanda-Best Foreign Feature Film (Årets utenlandske spillefilm): nominated
  • 1994Golden Reel-Best Polish Film: winner
  • 1994Honorable Mentions (The Next Ten Best Picture Contenders)-Honorable Mentions: winner
  • 1994Silver Berlin Bear-Best Director: winner
  • 1994Golden Berlin Bear-: nominated
  • 1994Palme d'Or-: nominated
  • 1994César-Best Director (Meilleur réalisateur): nominated
  • 1994César-Best Screenplay, Original or Adaptation (Meilleur scénario, original ou adaptation): nominated
  • 1994César-Best Film (Meilleur film): nominated
  • 1994Goya-Best European Film (Mejor Película Europea): winner
  • 1994Guild Film Award - Gold-Foreign Film (Ausländischer Film): winner
  • 1994LAFCA Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
  • 1994NYFCC Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 1994Sant Jordi-Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): winner
  • 1994Audience Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
  • 1994Most Popular Film-: winner
  • 1995Oscar-Best Director: nominated
  • 1995Oscar-Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: nominated
  • 1995David Lean Award for Direction-: nominated
  • 1995BAFTA Film Award-Best Screenplay - Adapted: nominated
  • 1995BAFTA Film Award-Best Film not in the English Language: nominated
  • 1995Bodil-Best Non-American Film (Bedste ikke-amerikanske film): winner
  • 1995CFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 1995César-Best Film (Meilleur film): nominated
  • 1995César-Best Director (Meilleur réalisateur): nominated
  • 1995César-Best Screenplay, Original or Adaptation (Meilleur scénario, original ou adaptation): nominated
  • 1995Independent Spirit Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
  • 1995Critics Award-Best Film: winner
  • 1995Girona Film Critics Award-Best Picture: winner
  • 1995NSFC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
  • 1995NSFC Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 1995Audience Award-Best Foreign Film (Melhor Filme Estrangeiro): winner
  • 1995Audience Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
  • 2000Special Citation-Outstanding Cinematic Series: winner
  • 2001Eagle-Best Screenplay (Najlepszy Scenariusz): nominated
  • 2002European Film Award-European Screenwriter: nominated
  • 2002International Competition-Best Screenplay: winner
  • 2005Chlotrudis Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated