Sławomir Idziak

Sławomir Idziak
Idziak in 2010
Born (1945-01-25) 25 January 1945 (age 79)
NationalityPolish
Alma materNational Film School in Łódź
OccupationCinematographer
Years active1966 – present
SpouseMaria Gładkowska (1999–2006)

Sławomir Idziak (Polish pronunciation: [swaˈvɔmir ˈid͡ʑak]; born 25 January 1945) is a Polish cinematographer and director who has worked on over forty Polish and foreign films. He is especially known for his collaboration with director Krzysztof Kieślowski.

In 2019, the American Society of Cinematographers included Three Colours: Blue shot by Idziak on the list of the best-photographed films of the 20th century.[1]

Life and career

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Idziak was born on 25 January 1945 in Katowice, Poland. In 1969, he graduated from the National Film School in Łódź. He has made fourteen films with Krzysztof Zanussi, including Kontrakt (The Contract), The Constant Factor and A Year of the Quiet Sun. He worked on all the early films of Krzysztof Kieślowski, including his television, feature film and foreign debuts, additionally, the two collaborated on A Short Film About Killing, The Double Life of Véronique and Three Colors: Blue.

He has made films with such directors as Ridley Scott, John Sayles, Michael Winterbottom and John Duigan, and has also written and directed two films himself. He worked on Winterbottom's film I Want You, where he won an Honourable Mention at the 48th Berlin International Film Festival.[2]

He moved to more mainstream films such as Gattaca (1997), Proof of Life (2000), Black Hawk Down (2001), and King Arthur (2004). In 2002, he was nominated for an Academy Award as well as a BAFTA for 'Best Cinematography' in the film Black Hawk Down.

Idziak was the director of photography for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the fifth film adaptation of J. K. Rowling's popular fantasy series, directed by David Yates. He is also Director of Photography for Battle of Warsaw 1920 - the first of his films, and the first ever Polish-language feature film, to be shot in 3D.

Sławomir Idziak teaches at film schools in Berlin, London and Copenhagen, and also conducts seminars in cinematography in other countries. He is currently working on a Virtual Film Studio Web site called Film Spring Open which gives users an opportunity to present work to global audiences and to make films online. Participants can share ideas, exchange equipment or write scripts together. The aim is to create an international community of filmmakers who will support each other, make films together and will care about the advertising and distribution of their films.

In 2012, he was awarded the Order of Polonia Restituta for his "outstanding achievements for the Polish and world culture"[3] and in 2014, he became the recipient of the Gold Medal for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis.[4]

Personal life

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Sławomir was married to actress Maria Gładkowska.[5]

Filmography

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Cinematographer

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Short film

Year Title Director Notes
1966 Każdemu to, czego mu wcale nie trzeba Grzegorz Królikiewicz
1967 Zawał serca Wojciech Wiszniewski
1976 Niemen Krzysztof Rogulski With Cezary Makowski
Klaps Krzysztof Kieślowski

Feature film

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Year Title Director Notes
1969 Zbrodniarz, który ukradł zbrodnie Janusz Majewski With Antoni Nurzyński
1971 Jeszcze słychać śpiew i rżenie koni... Mieczysław Waśkowski With Zdzisław Borowczyk, Jerzy Klimkiewicz,
Edward Kłosiński and Wiktor Skrzynecki
1975 A Woman's Decision Krzysztof Zanussi
1976 Partita na instrument drewniany Janusz Zaorski
The Scar Krzysztof Kieślowski
1978 Nauka latania Himself With Andrzej Popławski
1980 The Orchestra Conductor Andrzej Wajda
The Constant Factor Krzysztof Zanussi
1981 From a Far Country [it]
1982 Imperative
1984 Jagger und Spaghetti [de] Karsten Wichniarz
No Time for Tears: The Bachmeier Case [de] Hark Bohm
A Year of the Quiet Sun Krzysztof Zanussi
1985 Power of Evil
Wie ein freier Vogel Hark Bohm Documentary film
1986 Harmagedon - Erään maailman loppu Juha Rosma
Sarah Reginald Puhl With Klaus Beckhausen, Michael Marszalek and Dragan Rogulj
1988 Yasemin Hark Bohm
A Short Film About Killing Krzysztof Kieślowski
Wherever You Are... [pl] Krzysztof Zanussi
1989 Inventory
1991 The Double Life of Veronique Krzysztof Kieślowski
1993 Three Colours: Blue
1994 Weltmeister Zoran Solomun
Traumstreuner Erwin Michelberger With Paul Ellmerer
1995 The Journey of August King John Duigan
Tears of Stone Hilmar Oddsson With Sigurður Sverrir Pálsson
1996 Jailbirds Detlev Buck
Lilian's Story Jerzy Domaradzki
1997 Commandments Daniel Taplitz
Men with Guns John Sayles
Gattaca Andrew Niccol
1998 I Want You Michael Winterbottom
1999 The Last September Deborah Warner
Love and Rage Cathal Black
2000 Paranoid John Duigan
Bundle of Joy [de] Detlev Buck
Proof of Life Taylor Hackford
2001 Black Hawk Down Ridley Scott
2004 King Arthur Antoine Fuqua
2007 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix David Yates
2011 Battle of Warsaw 1920 Jerzy Hoffman
2012 Measuring the World Detlev Buck
2015 A Tale of Love and Darkness Natalie Portman

Television

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TV movies

Year Title Director Notes
1969 Podróżni jak inni Wojciech Marczewski
1970 Cicha noc, święta noc Marek Piestrak Also writer
1971 Piżama Antoni Krauze
1977 Krótka podróż Krzysztof Rogulski
Powrót Filip Bajon
1980 Meta Antoni Krauze With Edward Kłosiński
Kontrakt Krzysztof Zanussi
1981 The Temptation [pl]
1982 The Unapproachable [pl] Krzysztof Zanussi
Edward Zebrowski
1984 Bluebeard [pl] Krzysztof Zanussi
1988 Erloschene Zeiten Documentary film
1990 Liebe und Maloche Bettina Woernle
1991 The Long Conversation with the Bird [pl] Krzysztof Zanussi

TV shorts

Year Title Director
1970 Góry o zmierzchu Krzysztof Zanussi
1974 Przejście podziemne Krzysztof Kieślowski

Miniseries

Year Title Director Notes
1973 Odejścia, powroty Wojciech Marczewski Episode "Tak bardzo zmęczeni..."
1989 Dekalog Krzysztof Kieślowski Segment "Five"

TV series

Year Title Director Notes
1990 Kommissarin Goedeke 3 episodes
1991 Napoléon et l'Europe [fr] Krzysztof Zanussi
Janusz Majewski
Episodes "Marie Walewska" and "Moscou"

Director

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Year Title Director Writer Notes
1972 Pan Dziad z lirą Yes Yes Documentary short
Co-directed with Andrzej Kotkowski
1976 Nauka latania Yes Yes
1983 Bajki na dobranoc Yes Yes TV movie
1993 Enak Yes Yes

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Nomination Title Result
2001 Academy Awards Best Cinematography Black Hawk Down Nominated
BAFTA Awards Best Cinematography Nominated
1993 César Awards Best Cinematography Three Colours: Blue Nominated
1996 Asia-Pacific Film Festival Best Cinematography Lilian's Story Won
Camerimage Golden Frog Nominated
1998 I Want You Nominated
1999 The Last September Nominated
2001 Black Hawk Down Nominated
2004 Outstanding Achievements in the Art of Cinematography Won
2013 Lifetime Achievement Award Won
1993 Venice Film Festival Best Cinematography Three Colours: Blue Won
2001 American Film Institute Awards Cinematographer of the Year Black Hawk Down Nominated

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "ASC Unveils List of 100 Milestone Films in Cinematography of the 20th Century". Retrieved 2019-01-12.
  2. ^ "Berlinale: 1998 Prize Winners". berlinale.de. Retrieved 2012-01-16.
  3. ^ "M.P. 2012 poz. 773". Retrieved 2019-01-12.
  4. ^ "Medal Zasłużony Kulturze - Gloria Artis". Retrieved 2019-01-12.
  5. ^ Slawomir Idziak at IMDb, Retrieved July 2016
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