
Sylwester Chęciński
Directing
Biography
Sylwester Chęciński (21 May 1930 – 8 December 2021) was a Polish film and television director. He was born in Susiec, Poland, on 21 May 1930. Chęciński died in Wrocław on 8 December 2021, at the age of 91. Chęciński was born on 21 May 1930 in Skwarki, Lublin Voivodeship. In 1950, he graduated from the 1st Secondary School of General Education named after Jędrzej Śniadeckiego in Dzierżoniów, and in 1956 the Directing Department of the State Film School in Łódź. He is best known for the trilogy Sami swoi, Nie ma mocnych and Kochaj albo rzuć. He directed his first film Historia żółtej ciżemki in 1961. From 1976 to 1980, he was the deputy artistic director of the film group "Iluzjon", and in the years 1988–1991 the deputy artistic director of the film group "Kadr". For lifetime achievement, he received "Platinum Lions" at the 39th Gdynia Film Festival (2014)[2] and the Polish Academy Life Achievement Award (2017). Chęciński died on 8 December 2021, in Wrocław. On 18 December, after the mass in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Wrocław, he was buried at the Grabiszyński Cemetery in Wrocław.
Known For

Christopher Lee hosts this horror anthology series from Poland with stories from various classic authors.
Theatre Macabre

In the last days of World War 2, people of various ethnic background meet in a Polish military hospital in a small German town, whereas a Nazi SS division hides in the local forests and tries to move westwards.
The Hours of Hope

Pawlak and Kargul - neighbors, frenemies, and grandfathers to Ania- both receive invitation to America from Pawlak's brother- John. All three of them travel to Chicago, where they discover John has passed away, and they arrived just in time for his funeral. But first- they need to find his illegitimate daughter. Set in late 70's story of two, charming, Polish villagers' adventures in Chicago is a third installment of Pawlak and Kargul adventures.
Big Deal

Fresh out of prison, a seasoned poker hustler finds himself teaching the trade to a young cab driver chasing his first big win.
Big Shar

Set in the beginning of Wold War II, when the Polish cavalry still fought with lances against German troops. LOTNA is about a white thoroughbred horse that passed through various hands in a military outfit.
Lotna

Police captain Wójcik conducts an investigation into the murder of a cashier from a state-owned enterprise. Despite seemingly numerous leads, the investigation gets stuck in a dead end – the victim had no enemies and nothing was stolen. Despite closing the case Wójcik feels that the key to solving the mystery is the murdered cashier and his past. Exploring this plot, he discovers a full-fledged spy affair, however, trying to catch the real murderer, he’ll have to risk his life, health and career.
Only the Dead Can Answer

A young teacher and a conservative mayor fight over influence in a village in Western Poland, all while falling in love with each other.
Agnes 1946

Set in the Middle Ages the film tells the story of a wonder child, the little sculptor Wawrzek, who goes to work for a great master, Wit Stwosz. The story culminates in the unveiling of Stwosz's greatest masterpiece, the Altar of St. Mary's Church in Cracow.
Story of the Golden Boot

Two quarreling peasant families, who were forced to leave their lands after the war, are settled by accident on two neighboring farms.
Our Folks

The main characters are the same two quarreling peasant families introduced in "Sami swoi" (Our Folks). The action of the film starts 18 years later. The old quarrels have been forgotten, but new problems keep popping up. They have no successors to inherit the farms. They invent a tricky and clever plan. The young granddaughter is to take over both of the farms after her marriage. Both Kargul and Pawlak have no rest until they carry out the plan. In the end, after numerous adventures and obstacles their cunning intrigue is fulfilled - the young marry and the land remains in the family's hands.
Take It Easy

Three children strike a deep friendship after a chance encounter during World War 2.
Legenda

A young designer is tormented by remorse after a viaduct of his design collapses.
The Catastrophe

In a post-State gmina Osiek, on August 15th the plaque commemorating the liberation of the town from the hands of the Bolsheviks in 1920 will be unveiled. Vogt wants the event to be festive and to contribute to the promotion a the forgotten gmina. He needs a veteran, but where will he find a veteran of the 1920 war? Marian, a village shopkeeper, promises to “find” a veteran in excha
Came the Uhlans

Rumsza, the elderly railwayman, leading a sedate life with his wife, misses his only remaining son (two older boys were killed in the war). Joziuk finally returns from the military in the first scene but with the pregnant Zosia, while Rumsza expected him to marry Celinka, the daughter of Krywka, his only friend and neighbour. The hero will not accept the new situation; he throws his son and Zosia out of his house. Celinka is distressed but she still harbours hope for Joziuk. The birth of the child changes the situation: Rumsza accepts his son's relationship but Celinka decides to leave.
Winter Twilight

Ryszard Ochódzki receives a special assignment for UB - infiltrating the "Solidarity" party branch in Suwałki. His arriving there coincides with the imposition of martial law on Poland.
Controlled Conversations
A precious jewel brought from India by a British general falls prey to his wife.
Diament radży

A former World War 2 resistance fighter returns to Poland to reconnect with his old comrades, but finds out they have moved on with their lives and have no time for him.
The Return

A moral action drama showing a crisis and breakup of a married couple from the perspective of the both spouses, Roman and Magda. Through flashbacks the film reveals a shocking study of the disintegration of the relationship between two adult people and their gradual dehumanization.
Roman and Magda

Four stories showing the various facets of love.
Spotkania
Based on a novella by Ivan Turgenev, Pierwsza milość is the story of a 15 year old boy and a 21 year old girl who develop an ill-fated romance.