Jerzy Stuhr – actor, theatre and film director. Teacher.
Author of three books.
One of the most popular and versatile Polish actors.
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Jerzy Stuhr graduated in Polish studies from Jagiellonian University (1970) and from the Acting Department of the Ludwik Solski State Drama School in Krakow (1972). As a student, he was involved with Krakow's Teatr STU, and after graduation joined the Stary Teatr in Kraków, where he played in productions of the most prestigious theatre directors, e.g. Konrad Swinarski, Andrzej Wajda, Jerzy Jarocki. He did a lot of stage directing, mainly at the Teatr Ludowy in Nowa Huta. His projects there included Witold Gombrowicz 's “ Iwona, Księżniczka Burgunda” (“ Yvonne, Princess of Burgundy,” 1990), Moliere's “ The Bourgeois Gentleman” (1993), as well as Shakespeare's plays – “ The Taming of the Shrew” (1991), “ Macbeth” (1995), “ The Merry Wives of Windsor” (1998), and “Richard III” (2006). In June 2008 he directed and played the main part in Moliere’s “The School for Wives” at the Polish Television Theatre. He has also worked with Italian theatres since the early 1980's. |
Stuhr has created some excellent interpretations in Polish cinema. Having met film director Krzysztof Kieślowski in the mid-1970s, he continued to work with him until Kieślowski's death in 1996. To an international audience, Stuhr may be best known for his role as the thick-witted hairdresser Jurek in Kieślowski's “ Three Colors: White, ” in which he starred alongside Julie Delpy, Janusz Gajos, and Zbigniew Zamachowski. In Poland, he is probably best-known for the part of Max in Juliusz Machulski's 1985 cult comedy “ Seksmisja,” and - to the youngest audience - for lending his voice to the talking donkey in the dubbed Polish version of the Shrek trilogy. His most important films include Kieślowski's "The Scar" (1976), "Camera Buff" (1979) and Part 10 of his “ Decalogue” series (1988), Wajda’s “Without Anesthesia” (1978), Falk’s “Top Dog” (1978), Machulski's “ Kingsize” (1987), “ Killer” (1997) and “ Killer 2” (1999), and Zanussi's “ Life for Life” (1988) and “Persona Non Grata” (2004). The last decade was mostly a time of film directing projects for Jerzy Stuhr. He also played main parts in some of the films he directed: “List of Lovers” (1994), “Love Stories” (1997), “A Week in the Life of a Man” (1999), “Big Animal” (2000), “Tomorrow’s Weather” (2003), and “Twist of Fate” (2007).
Stuhr has also been heavily involved in teaching. He was president of the Ludwik Solski State Drama School from 1990-1996, and has served in the same office again since 2002. He also teaches at the Silesian University. He was a member of the Polish president’s Council for Culture from 1991-1993. He is the author of three books: Sercowa Choroba , published in 1992, Udawać naprawde – in 2001, and Ucieczka do Przodu: Jerzy Stuhr od A do Z w wywiadach Marii Malatyńskiej – in 2007. He was granted the title of Professor of Dramatic Arts in 1994. In 2007, he was decorated with the Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta.
Selected Awards:
- 1979 - Festival of Polish Feature Films, Gdynia - Special Best Actor Award, “The Brown Lions,” for “Camera Buff.”
- 1982 – Italian Critics' Award for Best Foreign Actor.
- 1989 – International Festival of Feature Films, San Remo - Best Actor Award for “Citizen Piszczyk.”
- 1997 - Festival of Polish Feature Films, Gdynia , - The Golden Lions for the best film – “Love Stories.”
- 1997 – International Film Festival, Venice, - FIPRESCI Award for “Love Stories.”
- 1998 – Nastro d'Argento (The Silver Film), the Association of Italian Film Critics’ Award for “ Love Stories” - the best foreign film presented in Italy.
- 2000 – International Film Festival, Karlove Vary – the Jury’s Special Award for “Big Animal.”
- 2004 – “Go East” Central and Eastern Europe Film Festival, Wiesbaden - FIPRESCI Award for “Tomorrow’s Weather.”
- 2004 – Polish Film Festival, Los Angeles – Hollywood Eagle Award for “Tomorrow’s Weather.”
- 2005 – International Film Festival, Venice – Robert Bresson’s Life Achievement Award.
- 2006 – International Film Festival, Moscow, - Grand Prix Award for “Tomorrow’s Weather.”
- 2006 – European Short Film Festival, Venice – Best Actor Award Prix UIP Venice 2006 for “The Making of Parts.”
- 2007 – International Short Film Festival Salento Finibus Terrae, Brandisi - Best Actor Award for “The Making of Parts.”
- 2007 – Festival of Polish Feature Films, Gdynia – Award for The Best Screenplay for “The Twist of Fate.”
- 2007 –The Monthly “Film” Award for the Best Actor of the Last Five Decades.
- 2007 – Festival “Camerimage”, Łódź, Lifetime Achievement Award.
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Last modified: 01/14/04
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