Lech Majewski has finished his shoots for The Mill and the Cross (Młyn i krzyż)

The latest film The Mill and the Cross by Lech Majewski, with many film stars – Michael York, Charlotte Rampling, Rutger Hauer – is at the post-production stage.

Lech Majewski was born in 1953, he is one of the most acknowledged Polish artist in the world. He is a film and theatre director, writer, painter, and a poet. Before his studies at the Polish National Film, Television and Theatre School he studied painting at University of Fine Arts. Exceptional care of the visual impression is seen in every detail of his films, it is often pointed by critics.

Works by Lech Majewski have been shown many times at international festivals and received prestigious awards, for instance the film Wojaczek was presented at festivals in Rotterdam, Berlin, Jerusalem, Rio de Janeiro, London, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, New York, Montreal, and Los Angeles. He received over 20 awards, including a title of the Best European Independent Film in 2000 in Barcelona, the Best European Film title in Corato, and Grand Prx in Klaipėda. Krzysztof Siwczyk who played Rafał Wojaczek, revived a nomination for European Film Academy for the Best European Actor.

His versatile creativity evoked that prestigious Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)in New York in 2006 organised his individual retrospective. Its opening was honoured with the screening of the premiere Blood of a Poet (Krew Poety), a unique sequence of 33 video-arts presented simultaneously, which in the opinion of Laurence Kardish from MoMa “move the undeveloped spheres of contemporary human psyche, that are usually neglected by other media.”

Foreign press have many times spoken with enthusiasm about Majewski’s films. “Brilliant, black-and-white film full of classical simplicity” wrote the critic from “New York Times” about Wojaczek, and Philip Kennicott from “Washington Post” wrote in his recension that The Garden of Earthly Delights (Ogród rozkoszy ziemskich) is “one of the best films since years”.

The director underlines that the final effect is created by talent and work of many people with whom he co-operates, especially actors. “While working on The Mill and the Cross, I felt a little like an alchemist who produces a new substance from ingredients of the highest quality,” he said. “These ingredients are the actors with whom I work.”

The film was produced by Polish Television, “Silesia Film” Film Institution, Angeus Silesius, Arkana Studio, Supra Film, Odeon, 24 Media and Bokomotiv. The film was co-financed by the Polish Film Institute.

Translated by Monika Miziniak | Edited by Patricia Koza