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Michalina Olszanska is a Polish actress, writer, violinist, and vocalist. She began her violin studies at the age of seven. She studied at the Aleksander Zelwerowicz Theatre Academy in Warsaw. She is recognized for her performances in I, Olga Hepnarova (2016) where she played the title role, and Mathilde (2017) where she portrayed Mathilde Kschessinska. She also appeared in the movie Sobibor (2018).

Krzysztof Kieslowski graduated from Lódz Film School in 1969, and became a documentary, TV and feature film director and scriptwriter. Before making his first film for TV, Przejscie podziemne (1974) (The Underground Passage), he made a number of short documentaries. His next TV title, Personnel (1975) (The Staff), took the Grand Prix at Mannheim Film Festival. His first full-length feature was The Scar (1976) (The Scar). In 1978 he made the famous documentary From a Night Porter's Point of View (1979) (Night Porter's Point of View), and in 1979 - a feature Camera Buff (1979) (Camera Buff), which was acclaimed in Poland and abroad. Everything he did from that point was of highest artistic quality.

A literature and philosophy graduate, with extensive post-graduate work at Oxford on German literature, Polish-born Pawel Pawlikowski started as a documentary filmmaker in British television.

His second feature, Last Resort (2000), earned him international critical acclaim at numerous festivals, including Toronto and Sundance, and won the 2001 British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) award for "Most Promising Newcomer in British Film."

His next film, My Summer of Love (2004), won the Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film at the BAFTA Awards in 2005.

Having graduated from FAMU in Prague film (1971), Agnieszka Holland returned to Poland and began her film career working with Krzysztof Zanussi as assistant director, and Andrzej Wajda as her mentor. Her first feature film was PROVINCIAL ACTORS (1978), one of the flagship pictures of the "cinema of moral disquiet" and the winner of the International Critics Prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 1980. Subsequently, she made the films FEVER (1980) and THE LONELY WOMAN (1981). In 1981, just before the declaration of the state of emergency in Poland, Agnieszka Holland emigrated to France.

She directed ANGRY HARVEST (1985) which was nominated for a foreign-language Oscar. Her film EUROPA EUROPA (1990) also received a U.S. Academy Award nomination (best screenplay) and IN DARKNESS (2011) was again nominated as best foreign-language film. She also collaborated with her friend Krzysztof Kieslowski on the screenplay of his trilogy, THREE COLOURS (1993).

Holland's other films include TO KILL A PRIEST (1988), OLIVIER, OLIVIER (1992), THE SECRET GARDEN (1993), TOTAL ECLIPSE (1995), WASHINGTON SQUARE (1997), THE THIRD MIRACLE (1999), SHOT IN THE HEART (2001), JULIE WALKING HOME (2001), COPYING BEETHOVEN (2006), IN DARKNESS (2011), BURNING BUSH (2013), SPOOR (2017), MR. JONES (2019) and CHARLATAN (2020). She also directed several episodes of many notable TV series, including THE WIRE, JAG, COLD CASE, TREME (for the pilot of the latter she was nominated for an Emmy) and HOUSE OF CARDS. Agnieszka Holland has also written or co-written screenplays for films made by other directors and directed plays for Polish television. She was elected chairwoman of the Board of the European Film Academy in 2014 and was elected as its President in 2021.

Zuzanna Szadkowski played Dorota in the CW's "Gossip Girl." She was Nurse Pell on the Cinemax series from Steven Soderbergh, "The Knick." Other television credits include "Search Party," "The Good Wife," "Elementary," "Girls," "Guiding Light" and "The Sopranos." Theatre credits include Uncle Romeo Vanya Juliet (WSJ Performance of the Year 2018); The Crucible; and Peter Pan with Bedlam; queens at LCT3; The Comedy of Errors as part of The Public Theater's Mobile Shakespeare Unit; King Philip's Head... with Clubbed Thumb; Love, Loss and What I Wore on Off-Broadway; The 39 Steps at Actors Theatre of Louisville; The Merry Wives of Windsor at Two River Theater; and King Lear at Bristol Riverside Theatre. MFA from the A.R.T. Institute at Harvard. Zuzanna lives in Brooklyn, NY.

John McMartin was born on 21 August 1929 in Warsaw, Indiana, USA. He was an actor, known for Blow Out (1981), All the President's Men (1976) and Kinsey (2004). He was married to Cynthia Baer. He died on 6 July 2016 in New York City, New York, USA.

Malgorzata Zajaczkowska began her acting career in 1979, on stage in the Teatr Narodowy. She moved to the United States 1981 and Americanized her name as Margaret Sophie Stein. Her American film credits include Bullets Over Broadway (1994), Enemies, A Love Story (1989), and Simply Irresistible (1999). She moved to back to Poland in 1999 where she continues a career in acting. She has also lectured at the Warsaw Film School.

Olga Sosnovska was born on 21 May 1972 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland. She is an actress, known for MI-5 (2002), Ocean's Thirteen (2007) and Human Target (2010). She has been married to Sendhil Ramamurthy since 19 July 1999. They have two children.

Agnieszka Grochowska is a renowned Polish movie, television, and theatre actress. She graduated from the Aleksander Zelwerowicz Theatre Academy in Warsaw. Grochowska has starred in numerous acclaimed films, including In Darkness (2011), Shameless (2012), and Walesa: Man of Hope (2013). Her performances have earned her multiple awards and nominations. In addition to her acting career, Grochowska is also involved in various philanthropic activities.

Weronika Rosati is an international actress. Born in 1984 in Warsaw, her Polish-American-Hungarian mother is a famous fashion designer and her Italian father is a respected politician/economist now a deputy at the European Parliament. She has been working in films since she was a teenager. She became a Polish sensation after appearing in numerous popular TV series and achieved both stardom and recognition at the age of 19 with her first silver screen appearance in the lead female role of Gemma in 'Pitbull' - a cop thriller classic.

She attended the prestigious Lodz Film School, and then moved to New York where for two years she studied at the Lee Strasberg Institute. In the meantime, she continued her career in Polish film working with such renowned filmmakers as Krzysztof Zanussi in 'Foreign Body' (which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival), Agnieszka Holland in 'In Darkness' (nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Film), and in many other feature films and TV shows. In 2013, Weronika played Pestka, a young Jewish woman trying to save her sister from death, in the World War II-drama 'Manhunt', which received international critical acclaim. The role earned Weronika her first Polish Film Academy Award nomination for Best Actress and won her the Pola Negri Award. Rosati works often in France, where she lived as a child, and also speaks fluent French. She played a lead in a TV film for France 2 television in 'La Dame de Pique' and in Jerome Salle's 'Burma Conspiracy' opposite Tomer Sisley and Sharon Stone.

Her first big break-through in the US came in 2011 when she was cast by Michael Mann in 'Luck', the HBO original TV series starring Dustin Hoffman. She played a poker dealer Naomi , the love interest of Jason Gedrick's character and appeared in four episodes. From then she worked constantly on other TV shows and films including season 2 of 'True Detective', 'NCIS', 'The Iceman' with Michael Shannon, 'Bullet to the Head' opposite Sylvester Stallone, directed by Walter Hill, 'Last Vegas' with Michael Douglas and 'Rosemary's Baby' for NBC.

In 2015, Weronika completed 'USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage', a highly anticipated World War II-drama directed by Mario Van Peebles, where she played the wife of Nicolas Cage's character. She also appeared as a guest star on TBS comedy show 'The Detour', as a French agent in a lead guest role on the popular show 'Supernatural' directed by John Badham, and in a historical epic international co-production 'I'll Find You' directed by Martha Coolidge where she stars opposite Stellan Skarsgaard. In 2020, she co-starred in the critically acclaimed drama 'Never Gonna Snow Again' directed by Malgoska Szumowska and Michal Englert, which premiered in Main competition of the Venice Film Festival.

Rosati is a household name in Europe where she was also a spokesperson for Avon Cosmetics and Pantene, among others. She splits time between Warsaw and Los Angeles.

Kasia Koleczek was born on 30 November 1984 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland. She is an actress and writer, known for Press (2018), Bridget Jones's Baby (2016) and Father Brown (2013).

Zofia Wichlacz is a Polish actress who has made a significant impact in the film industry. She attended the theatre center "U Machulskich". She started her acting career in 2013. Wichlacz first gained recognition for her role in the movie Warsaw 44 (2014), for which she won the Golden Lion for the best female role during the 39th Gdynia Film Festival and the Eagle for the revelation of the year in the 17th Polish Film Awards. In 2019, she starred in the drama series DNA (2019), a multi-company production about illegal adoptions. That same year, she portrayed Kasia, a Polish waitress, in the British drama series World on Fire (2019).

Piotr Adamczyk is a popular Polish film, television and stage actor. He garnered international acclaim for his portrayal of Pope John Paul II in the film "Karol, A Man Who Became Pope" which was seen by no less than eight hundred million people worldwide.

Known for his versatility, Adamczyk has consistently surprised audiences with his ability to embody vastly different characters ranging from anguished saints to ruthless oppressors, from melancholy composers to love sick fools.

Having honed his craft on theatre stages at home and abroad, Adamczyk broke into film with great momentum. His portrayal of Stawrogin in Dostoyevsky's "The Possessed" established him as a leading man and led him to the role that would propel him to Polish stardom: Frederic Chopin in "Chopin, Desire of Love".

His renown would only grow following his tour de force performance as Pope John Paul II in the two part Italian production - "Karol the Man Who Became Pope" and "The Pope - the Man". The films vast and international viewership would extend his popularity beyond Poland to Italy, Latin America and many other countries. Adamczyk also managed to build on his popularity abroad by performing at the Sala Uno Theatre in Rome (entirely in Italian), by playing in Liliana Cavani's movie "Einstein" and in the Portuguese mega production "Second Life".

Adamczyk has appeared in around 100 theatre, television and film productions. His nuanced portrayal of the Gestapo officer Lars Rainer in the hugely popular Polish television series "Days of Glory" won him acclaim and accolades, while his comedic performances on the hit show "Przepis na Zycie" (A Recipe for Life) endeared him to an ever widening fan base. In addition to having won numerous awards at international film festivals in Italy, China and Ukraine, Adamczyk was honored with the prestigious Gloria Artis medal for outstanding contributions to Polish culture.

Adamczyk has also had over 800 radio roles and is an accomplished voice actor. He has contributed his talents to such characters as Melman the Giraffe in "Madagascar", Zigzag McQueen in "Cars" and Syndrome in "The Incredibles", to name but a few. One of his latest roles was that of Maximilian Kolbe in the Mexican American 3D animated motion capture film "Max and Me".

Upcoming releases in 2016, starring Adamczyk, include the European production "Framed", "Max and Me", "Slaba Plec" (The Weaker Sex) and a sequel to one of Poland's biggest box office hits of the last decade: "Letter to Santa 2".

Paulina Galazka was born on 21 August 1989 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland. She is an actress, known for Girls to Buy (2021), Na twoim miejscu (2023) and A Young Man with High Potential (2018). She has been married to Sindre Sandemo since 2016.

Dariusz Wolski is a Polish film and music video cinematographer. He is best known for Crimson Tide (1995), Dark City (1998), the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), The Martian (2015) and All the Money in the World (2017).

Many of his collaborations include working with film directors like Ridley Scott, Rob Marshall, Tony Scott, Gore Verbinski and Tim Burton.

Wolski has also worked on several music videos with artists such as Elton John, Eminem, David Bowie, Sting, Aerosmith, and Neil Young.

Smoulderingly beautiful and a fetching, exotic-eyed vision on the American screen during the 1950s and early 1960s, dark-maned Lisa Montell impressed more, especially to male film-goers, as a lovely diversion midst all the rugged terrain and tropical South Sea hazards than as a formidable actress. Similar in beauty and allure to the stunning Debra Paget and France Nuyen, the "Starlet of Many Faces" had a strong knack for ethnic accents and managed to play a variety of foreign types over her relatively brief time before the camera (Peruvian, Mexican, French, Italian, Burmese, Polynesian). Her film resume, which would include such cult-oriented classics as Daughter of the Sun God (1962), World Without End (1956) and the Roger Corman cheapies Naked Paradise (1957) and She Gods of Shark Reef (1958) were nearly all "B" and "C" grade (or worse) in scope and she eventually tired of the lack of challenge. She abandoned her career at the height of her beauty (around 1962) but found immense personal rewards in later decades as a spiritual exponent of the Bahá'í faith.

Although Lisa was born Irena Ludmilla Vladimiovna Augustinovich in Warsaw, Poland, on July 5, 1933, she was not raised there and did not keep her given name for long. Of Russian-Polish descent, she was born to privilege. She and her family managed to flee safely to the United States just months before the Nazi invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939. Her father, a successful businessman, changed the family name to Montwill and Irena's name was adjusted to Irene. The family moved into a spacious Fifth Avenue apartment in New York City and generously took in Polish refugees (both friends and family) as needed during WWII.

Lisa studied art, voice and dance in Forest Hills and eventually was accepted into the High School of Music and Art in Manhattan. She later transferred to the High School for the Performing Arts where she developed an interest in acting. Following graduation, she attended the University of Miami (Florida) for a semester before her father, whose business involved iron mines in Peru, relocated the family to Lima. While there Lisa again studied drama in American-based acting workshops that were set up there. She received her first professional break in 1953 after being noticed and cast by Hollywood producers searching for local female leads for a film they were shooting in Peru.

The film was called Daughter of the Sun God (1962) and it was set in the Peruvian jungles. Lisa plays a young adventurous blonde explorer on an expedition who is not only threatened by raging waters, desert heat and native ritualistic practices, but by various wildlife as well (crocodiles, pumas and gigantic snakes, to name a few). The film had financial problems and was so poorly made that it was held up nearly a decade before it was finally bought and released to the American market in 1962.

While enjoying a South American jet-set life in Peru, Lisa went on to appear in a handful of other local films before learning of Hollywood's interest in her despite the unsuccessful marketing of her debut film. Following her father's untimely death, Lisa and her mother moved to Los Angeles where the ethnic-looking wannabe found work cast on TV as Eurasian, Latina and Native-American types.

Billed as Irene Montwill, Lisa's first Hollywood film was Warner Bros.' Jump Into Hell (1955), a French Indochina (pre-Vietnam) war picture in which she played a French love interest to European soldier Peter Van Eyck. The studio then put her under a temporary contract and she changed her name to the more exotic moniker of Lisa Montell. Despite more second-lead exposure in the RKO films, Escape to Burma (1955), a tea plantation drama starring Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Ryan, and Pearl of the South Pacific (1955), a tropical South Seas adventure with Virginia Mayo and Dennis Morgan, Lisa was not able to up her status in Hollywood.

After filming the minor western, The Wild Dakotas (1956), she appeared in one of her better-remembered pictures, the cult sci-fi film, World Without End (1956), with Hugh Marlowe and Rod Taylor, which takes place on Earth in the 26th century. She went on to play a small role as a ballet dancer in the Leslie Caron MGM drama, Gaby (1956), and was also one of the Italian Martelli sisters (the others being Anna Maria Alberghetti, Eva Bartok and Lisa Gaye) in the musical comedy, Ten Thousand Bedrooms (1957), starring Dean Martin. On the western front, she appeared, with Chuck Connors, as an Indian maiden in Tomahawk Trail (1957). Things moved in a cult-like direction for Lisa with her tropical female roles in Roger Corman's Naked Paradise (1957) and She Gods of Shark Reef (1958), both filmed in the same spot in Hawaii. If nothing else, she got to show off her great figure and underwater swimming skills. Over the years, scores of adventurous guest roles came Lisa's way on TV, notably westerns, including the popular series as The Gene Autry Show (1950), Broken Arrow (1956), Tales of Wells Fargo (1957), Colt .45 (1957), Have Gun - Will Travel (1957), Sugarfoot (1957), Cheyenne (1955), Bat Masterson (1958) and Maverick (1957). Outside the western genre, came a few varied performances in everything from comedy (The Ann Sothern Show (1958)) to hip action adventure (Surfside 6 (1960)).

Once wed to fellow actor David Janti, Lisa's last film was the minor "B" western, The Firebrand (1962), starring Kent Taylor. She retired soon after and devoted herself, exclusively, to educational pursuits as well as her Bahá'í religion. She was elected to the Bahá'í Local Spiritual Assembly of Los Angeles and served as Chairperson. Often a public speaker, she has been outspoken on such issues as poverty and discrimination. She was also quite active in the early stages of the civil rights movement and has spent active time with youth arts programs. She later wrote a book (as Lisa Janti) about her spiritual sojourn and, more recently, became the program director of the Center for Education at the Desert Rose Bahá'í Institute. In 2008, she was a guest attendee at the Western Legends Film Festival.

Konrad Eleryk is a Polish actor known for his work in theater, television, and movies. He completed his acting studies at the Polish National Film School in Lodz in 2017. His acting career began in the TV series Time of Honor (2008). He gained recognition for his role as a photographer named Jacek in the TV series Przyjaciólki (2012).

Joanna Krupa was born on 23 April 1979 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland. She is an actress and producer, known for Planet of the Apes (2001), CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000) and InAPPropriate Comedy (2013). She has been married to Douglas Nunes since 4 August 2018. They have one child. She was previously married to Romain Zago.

Adrianna Chlebicka was born on 22 January 1994 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland. She is an actress, known for Squared Love (2021), Boxer (2024) and Television Theater (1953).

Agnieszka Wagner was born on 17 December 1970 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland. She is an actress, known for Schindler's List (1993), Letters to Santa (2011) and Quo vadis (2001).

Julia Wieniawa-Narkiewicz was born on 23 December 1998 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland. She is an actress and composer, known for The Hater (2020), Small World (2021) and Nobody Sleeps in the Woods Tonight (2020).

Iga Górecka was born on 1 September 1988 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland. She is an actress, known for Bunt (2022), Krucjata (2022) and The Convict (2021).

Born in Chicago, Shea Couleé (she/they) is an internationally-renowned drag superstar, performer, recording artist, podcast host, model, and actor known for their fashion-forward editorial looks. Couleé's legendary tenure on the Emmy-nominated show RuPaul's Drag Race includes winning All Stars 5 and finishing a finalist on the special all-winners edition of All Stars 7 and their original season, Drag Race 9. Couleé has performed in theater since nine years old.

Michal Dymek was born on 1 October 1990 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland. He is a cinematographer and actor, known for EO (2022), Sweat (2020) and The Girl with the Needle (2024).

Anna Mucha was born on 26 April 1980 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland. She is an actress, known for Schindler's List (1993), Boys Don't Cry (2000) and Love, Sex & Pandemic (2022).