Has, Wojciech Jerzy

Wojciech Has was born on April 1st 1925 in Krakow, Poland. As a teenager he attended the Kraków Business and Commerce College and it was here that his interest turned from business to fine art. He enrolled at the Krakow Academy of Fine Arts and graduated in 1946 after completing a course on film making as part of the degree. He started directing short educational documentary films after this at the Warsaw Documentary Film Studio and in 1950 moved to work at the National Film studio in Lodz where he directed several of his better known films.

From early on in his career he was noted to be individualistic in his approach to film making and always tried to avoid any political undertones in his art, while at the same time his imagery created environments that were visually compelling to watch. Many times Has is likened by critics to the surrealist painters.

His theme throughout a lot of his films are of troubled individuals who struggle to find a place in life and who remain social outsiders never finding a comfortable reality.

In 1974 he worked both as a director and film maker and also he took up the position of a professor and a lecturer in the National Film Studios directing department. In 1987 he moved to the Rondo Film School as a member of the Polish State Cinema committee then in 1990 became the dean and provost of the National Film School.

He died on October the 3rd, 2000 in Lodz.


Documentaries and educational films

Ulica Brzozowa / Birch Street (Director and writer) [1947]
Parowoz p.7-47 / Steam Locomotive p.7-47 (Director) [1949]
Moje Miasto / My City (Director) [1950]
Pierwszy Plon / First Harvest (director) [1950]
Mechanizacja Robot Ziemnych / Mechanization Of Earthwork (Director) [1951]
Scentralizowana Kontrola Przebiegu Produkcji / Centralized Control Of Production Processes (Director) [1951]
Harcerze Na Zlocie / Scouts At A Meeting (Director) [1952]
Karmik Jankowy / Janek's Feeding Trough (Director) [1952]
Zielarze Z Kamiennej Doliny / Herbalists From Stone Valley (Director) [1952]
Nasz Zespol / Our Ensemble (Director) [1955]


Feature Films

Harmonia / Harmony [1947]
Petla / The Noose [1957]
Pozegnania / Farewells [1958]
Wspolny Pokoj / Roomers [1959]
Rozstanie / Partings [1960]
Zloto / Gold Dreams [1961]
Jak Byc Kochana / How To Be Loved [1962]
Rekopis Znaleziony W Saragossie / The Saragossa Manuscript [1964]
Szyfry / The Codes [1966]
Lalka / The Doll [1968]
Sanatorium Pod Klepsydra / The Hourglass Sanatorium [1973]
Nieciekawa Historia / An Uneventful Story [1982]
Pismak / Write And Fight [1984]
Osobisty Pamietnik Grzesznika... Przez Niego Samego Spisany / The Memoirs Of A Sinner [1985]
Niezwykla Podroz Baltazara Kobera / The Tribulations Of Balthazar Kober [1988]