Ryszard Bugajski(1943-2019)

Ryszard Bugajski began his career working with Andrzej Wajda at Studio X in the late 70's. When he was pressured by the secret police to become an informant at the Studio, Bugajski vowed to try and bring down the Communist regime. To that end he shot his first feature film, "Interrogation", as society crumbled around him during the Solidarity uprisings. A scathing attack against the system, "Interrogation" was completed in secret during martial law. Banned by the authorities, the film was watched illegally by millions of Poles on newly acquired VCRs.

Persecuted by the secret police and banned from working, Bugajski and his wife fled to Canada in 1985, where he quickly learned English and got work directing television series and films.

On the fall of Communism in Poland, "Interrogation" became the official Polish entry at the Cannes Film Festival in 1990, where it was nominated for the Palme d'Or, and its leading actress Krystyna Janda won Best Actress for her stunning performance.

Bugajski returned to his homeland in 1995 where he has been making feature films, documentaries, television series and television features. He has also published several novels and continues to receive awards at film festivals. In 2009, Bugajski made his acclaimed feature film, General Nil, and in 2013 "The Closed Circuit" opened to both critical acclaim and commercial success in Poland.