Andrzej Munk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andrzej Munk
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Andrzej Munk
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| Born | 16 October 1921 |
| Died | 20 September 1961 (aged 39) near Łowicz, Poland
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| Alma mater | National Film School in Łódź |
Andrzej Munk (born October 16, 1921 – died September 20, 1961) was a famous Polish film director, writer, and maker of documentaries. He was a very important artist during a time of change in Poland after World War II. His movies like Man on the Tracks (Człowiek na torze, 1956), Eroica (Heroism, 1958), Bad Luck (Zezowate szczęście, 1960), and Passenger (Pasażerka 1963) are seen as classic films from the "Polish Film School." This was a special style of filmmaking that became popular in the mid-1950s. Sadly, he died in a car crash near Łowicz.
Life of Andrzej Munk
Munk was born in Kraków, Poland, into a Jewish family. His older sister was Krystyna Magdalena Munk. He finished high school in June 1939, just before World War II began. During the war, when Germany occupied Poland, he had to hide in Warsaw. He used a different name and worked as a construction worker to stay safe. In 1944, Munk joined the Warsaw Uprising, which was a big fight by Poles against the German forces. After the uprising ended, he managed to leave Warsaw. He went back to Kraków and then to Kasprowy Wierch, where he worked at a cable car station.
After the war, Munk returned to Warsaw. He started studying architecture at the Warsaw University of Technology. But he had to leave because of his health. Later, he studied law at Warsaw University. Finally, he moved to Łódź, where he joined the Łódź Film and Theatre School. He finished his studies in 1951. After graduating, he started working as a cameraman for the Polish Film Chronicle, which made newsreels. During this time, Munk also made several short films and documentaries. In 1948, he joined the Polish United Workers' Party, a political party. However, in 1952, he stopped being a member.
Andrzej Munk's Films
In 1956, Andrzej Munk finished his film Man on the Tracks (Człowiek na torze). This movie became one of the most important Polish films of the 1950s. The next year, he started teaching at his old film school. In 1957, he completed Eroica. This film was made of two parts, exploring the idea of heroism and bravery in Poland.
In 1960, Munk finished his third film, Bad Luck (Zezowate szczęście). This was a tragicomedy, meaning it had both sad and funny parts. It told the story of a regular Polish man who always seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Munk died in a car accident near Łowicz on September 20, 1961. He was on his way home from the Auschwitz concentration camp, where he was filming his movie Passenger (Pasażerka). This film was released in 1963, even though it was not fully finished.
Since 1965, the Łódź Film School gives out the "Andrzej Munk Film Award" to the best new filmmakers. In 2001, a special festival showing his films was held in Venice, Italy.
See also
In Spanish: Andrzej Munk para niños
