Jerzy Stuhr

Actor, film and theatre director, winner of many Polish and international film awards.

Born 18 April 1947 in Kraków. Graduated in Polish literature in the Jagiellonian University (1970) and Drama in L. Solski Academy for the Dramatic Arts (PWST) in Kraków (1972).

When at university, he cooperated with Teatr STU in Kraków. Since 1972 he is affiliated with the Old Theatre, where he performed in the best plays: "Dziady", "Demons", "The Émigrés", "Hamlet", "Crime and Punishment" directed by the most outstanding among directors - Konrad Swinarski, Jerzy Jarocki and Andrzej Wajda. In the ‘90s he was also associated with Teatr Ludowy in Nowa Huta, where he directed plays by Gombrowicz, Moliere, Shakespeare. For many years now he has also been cooperating with Television Theatre. In the early ‘80s he started cooperating with Italian universities and theatres (with the director Harold Panter in the play "Ashes to Ashes" alongside actress Adriana Asti), he also directed plays himself on many occasions in Italy – recently in 2009 "The Émigrés" by S. Mrożek in Parma's Teatro Due. He has been a teacher since the start of his career – as of graduation he is a professor of the Kraków PWST, while in the years 1990–1997 and 2002-2008 he served as its rector. In 1994 he received the title of professor of dramatic arts. He also lectures at the K. Kieślowski Radio and Television Department of Silesian University in Katowice, which awarded to him – by its Senate's decision – an honorary doctorate degree on 7 November 2007.

Author of 3 books: in 1992 his autobiography was published under the title "Sercowa choroba" (Heart Condition), and in 2001 his interviews given to Marek Mikos "Udawać naprawdę" (Really Pretending) appeared, while in 2007 "Ucieczka do przodu" (Escape Forward). Moreover the following titles were also published "Jerzy Stuhr from A to Z in interviews by Maria Malatyńska" by ZNAK publishing house, while in 2008 Wydawnictwo Literackie published the book "Jerzy Stuhr: Historie rodzinne" (The Stuhrs: Family Stories), which was also recorded in audiobook format.

In 1972 he made his cinematic debut in the film "Through and Through" by Grzegorz Królikiewicz. In 1976 he met Krzysztof Kieślowski for the first time, on the sets of such films as "Blizna" (The Scar) and "Spokój" (The Calm). In the late ‘70s he made memorable performances in "Wodzirej" (Top Dog) by Feliks Falk (1977) and "Amator" (Camera Buff) by Krzysztof Kieślowski (1979), becoming a leading actor of the Moral Unrest Cinema. He was also involved in other productions of this trend: "Bez znieczulenia" (Rough Treatment) by Andrzej Wajda (1978), "Aktorzy prowincjonalni" (Provincial Actors) by Agnieszka Holland (1978), or "Szansa" (Opportunity) by Feliks Falk (1979). He worked several more times with Krzysztof Kieślowski and played in his films: "Przypadek" (Blind Chance) in 1981, "Dekalog X" (The Decalogue) in 1988 and in 1993 – "Trzy kolory: Biały" (Three Colors: White), to then make a film in 2000, based on his master's scenario, about profoundly understood tolerance, titled "Duże zwierzę" (Big Animal).

Jerzy Stuhr let himself be known to the public at large also as a comedy actor, where especially memorable was the Maks character he portrayed in "Seksmisja" (Sexmission) by Juliusz Machulski (1984), also acting in "Kingsajz" (1987) by the same director, as well as the title character in "Obywatel Piszczyk" (Citizen Piszczyk) by Andrzej Kotkowski (1988).

Jerzy Stuhr is also often to be seen in foreign productions – in 2000 he made an appearance in the Russian film "Down House" and in the Italian production "The Other's Life", in 2004 – in the Israeli-Russian film "Arie", in 2006 – in the British Production "The Making of Parts" directed by Daniel Elliott and he also appeared in two Italian films, directed by Nanni Moretti: in 2006 in the film "Il caimano" and in the recent (June 2010) production "Habemus Papam", as well as in another Italian film "Let it be" directed by Guido Chiesa (2012).

Jerzy Stuhr has also written the scenarios and authored 6 films, which he directed (except for Big Animal in 2000, where the scenario was written by Krzysztof Kieślowski and the film "Pogoda na jutro" (Tomorrow's Weather) in 2003, with the scenario co-authored by Mieczysław Herba).
Mr Stuhr is a member of the European Film Academy since 1998.

Jerzy Stuhr has received numerous awards in the area of cinematic and theatre arts: including the 1998 - Nastro d'Argento (Silver Ribbon) award of Sindacato Nazionale dei Giornalisti Cinematografici Italiani, the association of Italian film critics for Best European Film presented in Italy . In 2005 he was awarded the Robert Bresson Prize at the 62nd Venice Film Festival and in that same year also the Sergei Bondarchuk Prize for contribution to European cinematography at the 15th Golden Knight International Film Festival in Chelyabinsk, also twice receiving the FIPRESCI Award at the goEast Festival of Central and East European Film in Wiesbaden (in 2001 and 2004). Mr Stuhr has also received a Special Lifetime Achievement Award at the "Camerimage" festival in Łódź in November 2007. Honoured in 2007 with the Golden Duck as "Best Actor of the 50 years" and in 2008 with a Special Golden Duck of the 100 Years of Polish Cinema in the category: Comedy Actor of the Century.