How was the work of world-renowned Polish director Andrzej Wajda influenced by his lifelong passion for painting? Polish film historian and cinephile Maciej Gil will guide you through the director's visual world.

Following the end of World War II, Wajda originally studied at the Academy of Fine Arts before a growing desire to explore a new medium—one that allowed him to express his artistic vision—eventually prevailed. He constantly carried a sketchbook and drew practically every day: portraits, travel snapshots, ideas.

Drawing helped him develop his cinematic imagination and the core ideas behind his films. On the occasion of the director's 100th anniversary of birth this year, Polish film historian and cinephile Maciej Gil will guide us through Andrzej Wajda's visual world.

Maciej Gil (* 1981), Polish film historian and long-time promoter of film culture, member of the expert committee of the Polish National Film Archive. From 2006 to 2012, he headed the Polish Federation of Film Discussion Clubs, and since 2005 he served as the Artistic Director of the Cinema on the Border festival in Cieszyn, with which he continues to collaborate on the Polish programme. He also participated in organizing the Summer Film Academy in Zwierzyniec and the European Express Film Festival in Kyiv. Member of the jury at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Gdynia Film Festival, and Krakow Film Festival. His articles on film appear in magazines such as Kino, Tygodnik Powszechny, and EKRANy.

In cooperation with the Polish Institute in Prague as part of the Polish Days in Ostrava festival.