Krzysztof Krauze was a Polish film director, cinematographer and actor, best known for his thriller »Debt« (1999).
Krauze graduated from the cinematography department at the film school in Łódź, although he was focused on becoming a director. From 1978-1983, he was involved with the Small Form Studio Film called SE-MA- FOR in Łódź. In the early 1980s, he decided to emigrate, but did not manage to succeed in his profession, therefore, returning to his homeland. Krauze started out his career by making TV commercials. For a time, he was a member of the board of television programs at Andrzej Munk Debuts Studio as well as a member of the Artistic Board of the Irzykowski Studio. Since 2001, Krzysztof Krauze has been a member of the European Film Academy, and since 2007, a member of the Board of the Polish Filmmakers Association.
In 2008, he became the Chairman of the Polish Film Institute. Krzysztof Krauze has won many major film festivals, such as the Trieste Film Festival and Istanbul International Film Festival. Among them as well is the Eagle Polish Film Award, which was awarded to Krauze twice for best screenplay and direction of the film »Dług« (»The Debt«) in 2000 and again in 2007 (with his wife [Joanna Kos-Krauze link intern: Kos-Krauze, Joanna]) for directing the film »Plac Zbawiciela« (»Saviour Square«). They received Golden Lion awards for »Dług«, which was granted at the Polish Film Festival in Gdynia in 1999 and another one for »Plac Zbawiciela« in 2006.
His last movie is »Papusza« (2014), and is a movie about the publication of the poems of one Romani woman. In the movie, through her life and desire to be a writer, he explores the position and role of women in traditional Roma communities. Her tragic story of rejection from society represents the need for reconciliation with the past and for finding new ways and paths for life in which women don’t have to make a choice between the family and personal growth. Krauze was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2006, and died on 24 December 2014, aged 61.
Filmography
1976 - Pierwsze kroki
1977 - Symetrie
1978 - Elementarz
1979 - Dwa listy
1979 - Deklinacja
1981 - Praktyczne wskazówki dla zbieraczy motyli
1981 - Dzień kobiet
1984 - Jest
1984 - Robactwo
1988 - Nowy Jork, czwarta rano
1993 - Nauka na całe życie
1994 - Kontrwywiad
1994 - Nauka trzech narodów
1994 - Spadł, umarł, utonął
1994 - Ogrody Tadeusza Reichsteina
1996 - Departament IV
1996 - Gry uliczne
1997 - Fotoamator
1997 - Stan zapalny
1999 - Dług
2000 - Wielkie rzeczy
2004 - Mój Nikifor
2006 - Plac Zbawiciela
2013 - Papusza
Awards
2014 Istanbul International Film Festival won Special Prize of the Jury; Papusza (2013)
2013 Thessaloniki Film Festival won Open Horizons Award; Papusza (2013)
2013 Valladolid International Film Festival won Best Director; Papusza (2013)
2013 Valladolid International Film Festival won Youth Jury Award Best Film; Papusza
(2013)
2013 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival won Special Mention; Papusza (2013)2006
Camerimage won Golden Frog Polish Films Competition; Plac Zbawiciela (2006)
2008 Trieste Film Festival won Prize Trieste; Plac Zbawiciela (2006)
2007 Polish Film Awards won Best Director (Najlepsza Rezyseria); Plac Zbawiciela (2006)
2007 Polish Film Awards won Eagle Best Film (Najlepszy Film); Plac Zbawiciela (2006)
2006 Polish Film Festival won Golden Lion ; Plac Zbawiciela (2006)
2006 Polish Film Festival won Critics Award; Plac Zbawiciela (2006)
2005 Athens Panorama of European Cinema won FIPRESCI Prize; Mój Nikifor (2004)
2005 Chicago International Film Festival won Gold Hugo Best Feature; Mój Nikifor (2004)
2005 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival won Crystal Globe ; Mój Nikifor (2004)
2005 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival won Best Director; Mój Nikifor (2004)
2005 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival won Don Quijote Award - Special Mention;
Mój Nikifor (2004)
2001 Philadelphia Film Festival Jury Award, Best Director; Dlug (1999)
2000 Polish Film Awards won Eagle Best Director (Najlepsza Rezyseria); Dlug (1999)
2000 Polish Film Awards won Best Screenplay (Najlepszy Scenariusz); Dlug (1999)
1999 Polish Film Festival won Golden Lion ; Dlug (1999)
1996 Polish Film Festival won Special Jury Prize; Gry uliczne (1996)
1988 Polish Film Festival won Best Debut Director ; Nowy Jork, czwarta rano (1988)
1980 Krakow Film Festival won Bronze Hobby-Horse of Cracow; Deklinacja (1980)
1980 Krakow Film Festival won FIPRESCI Prize; Deklinacja (1980)