Polish Cinema

Watched Roman Polanski's "The Ghost Writer" film on the way to London...  I do some ghost writing myself, so I figured I'd have a look.  It's an interesting movie, with a great cast, and Polanski does his usual masterful job directing a compelling political thriller.  It got me thinking about Polish cinema, which I really know nothing about.  Sadly, as this week is unfolding I'm repeatedly confronting my own sweeping ignorance of this place and its very rich culture.  It's somewhat disconcerting to confront your own profound lack of knowledge, but then, there's a lot to see in this world, and you can't be an expert on all of it.  It's a privilege to have an opportunity to learn more...

Here's an interesting link to a brief history of Polish Cinema...

"Polish cinema is known worldwide mostly due to a few names: Polanski, Wajda, and Kieslowski. But while these directors are mostly famous for their work outside of Poland, many names have been made within the country, though they tend to be neglected from outside except for a handful of enthusiasts and the Polish diaspora all over the world."

A suggested guide to the essential films of Polish cinema:
Ashes and Diamonds (1958) - Andrzej Wajda 
Knife in the Water (1962) - Roman Polanski 
The Passenger (1963) - Andrzej Munk 
The Saragossa Manuscript (1965) - Wojciech Has 
Hands Up! (1967) - Jerzy Skolimowski 
Camouflage (1977) - Krzysztof Zanussi 
Man of Marble (1977) - Andrzej Wajda 
Man of Iron (1981) - Andrzej Wajda 
A Woman Alone (1981) – Agnieszka Holland 
Possession (1981) - Andrzej Zulawski 
Sexmission (1983) - Juliusz Machulski 
No End (1984) - Krzysztof Kieslowski 
Year of the Quiet Sun (1984) - Krzysztof Zanussi 
H.M. Deserters (1986) - Janusz Majewski 
The Decalogue (1988) - Krzysztof Kieslowski 
Europa, Europa (1990) – Agnieszka Holland 
The Double Life of Veronica (1991) - Krzysztof Kieslowski 
Three Colours: Blue (1993) - Krzysztof Kieslowski 
Three Colours: Red (1994) - Krzysztof Kieslowski 
Three Colours: White (1994) - Krzysztof Kieslowski 
Killer (1997) - Juliusz Machulski 
With Fire and Sword (1999) - Jerzy Hoffman 
Pan Tadeusz (1999) - Andrzej Wajda 
The Debt (1999) - Krzysztof Krauze 
Quo Vadis (2001) - Jerzy Kawalerowicz 
In the Desert and the Wilderness (2001) - Gavin Hood 
The Pianist (2002) - Roman Polanski