„KADR” Film Studio was founded in 1955. It was established as an internationally unique form of self-government for film artists. The first and long-time director was Jerzy Kawalerowicz (for 48 years), who led a group of artists from his generation, including Andrzej Wajda, Andrzej Munk, Kazimierz Kutz, Janusz Morgenstern, Tadeusz Konwicki, Krzysztof Teodor Toeplitz, cinematographers Jerzy Lipman and Jerzy Wójcik, pisarze Jerzy Stefan Stawiński i Bohdan Czeszko, composers Jan Krenz, Andrzej Markowski.
Many directors made their masterpieces here. These artists created the internationally recognized and renowned “Polish film school”. It’s chief traits were focus on war, history, romantic tradition and using these elements as a backdrop for the tragedies of single human beings and communities.
“KADR” produced auteur Cinema films of the best Polish filmmakers: Kawalerowicz, Wajda, Munk, Konwicki, Kutz, as well as two experimental animated film „Once There Was” and „House” – directed by Walerian Borowczyk and Jan Lenica, for who the films paved the way for their international careers.
“KADR” Film Studio became one of the most important institutions in cinematography. The studio produced many films which are considered the highest achievements in national art and are part of the international cinematic heritage of humanity. Over 150 film titles were produced, many of them received prestigious awards at international festivals: in Cannes - „Kanał" i „Matka Mother Joan of Angels", in Venice - „The Train”, „The Last Day of Summer”, „Once There Was”, „Ashes And Diamonds”, in Berlinie - „The Death of The President”, „Nights And Days”, two productions were nominated for the American Film Academy Oscar Award - „Pharaoh” and „Nights And Days”.
Since the ‘70s, television shows played an important role in KADR activity, as they were produced alongside their movie version („Peasants”, „Nights And Days”, „In Desert And Wilderness”). There were also several independent television productions („Dom”, „07 zgłoś się”, „Misja”, „Rodzina Leśniewskich” and many others).
Juliusz Machulski produced his blockbuster debut „Vabank” (listed as one of the top 10 Polish comedies of all time) as well as other films like „Sexmission” and „Kingsize”, which are also immensely popular.
In the XXIst century KADR achieved great success thanks to debut production of directors like Borys Lankosz and his „Reverse”, Jana Komasa „Suicide Room”, or Leszek Dawid and his „You Are God”.
Starting in 2008 KADR took an active part in digital reconstruction on films. The first title to undergo restoration was „The Train” by Jerzy Kawalerowicz.
To this date 54 films have been digitally remastered and work continues on new movies. On Oct. 4th 2011 the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage issued a resolution stating that “KADR” Film Studio became the legal heir of “OKO” Film Studio, which the resolution also dissolved, effectively taking over distribution rights to films produced by OKO.
As a result, “KADR” Film Studio currently has over 600 movies in its catalog.
List of “KADR” Film Studio directors:
Jerzy Kawalerowicz (1955-1968, 1972-2007),
Jerzy Kapuściński (2008-2011),
Łukasz Barczyk (2011-2015),
Filip Bajon (since February 2015).
