# Lech Majewski

Lech Majewski (pronounced, ‘Ma-yev-ski’) (born 30 August 1953)) is a Polish-American poet, filmmaker, media artist, writer, and theater director. A member of the Directors Guild of America and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Majewski is known for his multidisciplinary artistic work spanning film, theater, opera, literature, and visual art. His works have been exhibited internationally in renowned galleries and museums, and he frequently lectures on the symbolic language in art at various institutions.

## Early Life and Education

Lech Majewski was born in Katowice, Poland. He initially studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts but later transitioned to film studies at the prestigious Łódź Film School in 1973. During his time as a student, he directed the documentary Grand Hotel (1975), which won the Grand Prix at the International Film Schools Festival.

## Film and Theater Career

Majewski’s early works in Poland include the feature films Annunciation (1978) and The Knight (1980). The Knight was praised by The New York Times for its austere and visually arresting style, with critic Janet Maslin describing it as "a haunting, austere parable." In 1982, Majewski staged Homer’s Odyssey on a barge along the River Thames in London, receiving acclaim from The Times as "potent theater."
After relocating to the United States in 1983, Majewski adapted his Polish novel Kasztanaja into his U.S. directorial debut, Flight of the Spruce Goose (1985), which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. He became a member of the Writers Guild of America and the Directors Guild of America that same year.

## International Collaborations and Notable Projects

In 1986, Majewski collaborated with Ronald Biggs, the infamous fugitive from the Great Train Robbery, to develop the screenplay for Prisoner of Rio (1989), filmed at Pinewood Studios and released by Columbia Pictures-TriStar. The film featured Hans Zimmer's debut as a composer.
In 1992, Majewski directed Gospel According to Harry, which starred Viggo Mortensen and was described by Toronto International Film Festival director Piers Handling as "a visionary film poem." His foray into opera began with the staging of Krzysztof Penderecki’s Ubu Rex (1993), winning multiple awards including the Golden Mask and Golden Orpheus.
He has written the story and co-produced Julian Schnabel’s Basquiat (1995), which was honored at the Venice Film Festival and featured performances by Jeffrey Wright, Willem Dafoe, and David Bowie.

## Artistic Innovations

Majewski’s works often blend cinematic, operatic, and visual elements. His autobiographical opera The Roe’s Room (1997) won acclaim for its innovative storytelling and visuals. The film adaptation was praised by Time Out London as "limpidly beautiful" and by The Washington Post as possessing "ravaging intensity."
His experimental film Wojaczek (1999)received over 20 international awards and was hailed by The New York Times as a "virtuoso achievement." In 2000, Majewski released Angelus, a film blending mysticism and history, which won the Fellini Award.

## Museum Exhibitions and Video Art

Majewski’s works have been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, the Louvre, and the Venice Biennale. In 2006, MoMA hosted a major retrospective titled Lech Majewski: Conjuring the Moving Image, curated by Laurence Kardish.
His video art series Blood of a Poet premiered at MoMA in 2006 and became part of the 52nd Venice Biennale. The work was later reassembled into the film Glass Lips (2007), praised by The New York Times for its "hypnotic expressiveness."

## Later Works and Recognition

Majewski’s 2011 film The Mill and the Cross, starring Rutger Hauer, Charlotte Rampling, and Michael York, was based on Pieter Bruegel’s painting The Way to Calvary and received critical acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival. Roger Ebert described it as a "film of great beauty and attention before which words fall silent."
His subsequent works include Onirica / Field of Dogs (2014), a contemporary adaptation of Dante’s Divine Comedy, and Valley of the Gods (2019), featuring John Malkovich and Josh Hartnett. The latter was noted for its "grand visual sweep" by critic Peter Sobczynski.

## Academic and Literary Contributions

In addition to filmmaking, Majewski has written multiple novels, essays, and librettos. Between 2015 and 2020, a 15-volume edition of his writings was published by Rebis and the National Center for Culture Poland.

## Legacy and Influence

Majewski’s distinctive approach to storytelling, blending philosophy, visual poetry, and historical references, has earned him a unique place in contemporary art and cinema. His contributions to film, theater, and visual art continue to be celebrated globally through retrospectives and academic studies.

## Filmography

* The Annunciation (Zwiastowanie) (1978) writer/director
* The Knight (Rycerz) (1980) writer/director
* The Flight of the Spruce Goose (Lot Świerkowej Gęsi) (1986) writer/director/producer
* Prisoner of Rio (Więzień Rio) (1988), produced between England and Brazil, a fictionalized story of Ronnie Biggs, mastermind of The Great Train Robbery of 1963 writer/director/producer
* The Gospel According to Harry (Ewangelia według Harry'ego) (1992) writer/director/producer
* Basquiat (developed project, eventually credited as co-writer and co-producer) (1996) writer/producer
* The Roe's Room (Pokój Saren) (1998) writer/director/producer/composer/set designer
* Accident (Wypadek) (1998) writer/director/producer
* Wojaczek (aka Life Hurts) (1999) writer/director/editor
* Angelus (2001) writer/director/set designer/composer/editor
* The Garden of Earthly Delights (2004) writer/director/producer/composer
* Glass Lips (2007) (feature film version of the Blood of a Poet installation (2006)) writer/director/producer/cinematographer/ editor/composer
* The Mill and the Cross (2011) writer/director/producer/cinematographer/set designer/editor/composer
* Field of Dogs / Onirica (2014) writer/director/producer/cinematographer/set designer/editor/composer
* Valley of the Gods (2019) writer/director/producer/cinematographer/set designer/editor/composer
* Brigitte Bardot Forever (Brigitte Bardot cudowna) (2021) writer/director/producer/cinematographer/set designer/editor/composer

## Opera

* Ubu Rex (1995) director
* Carmen (1995) director/producer
* Pokój Saren (1996) composer/librettist/director/producer/set designer/choreographer
* Carmen (2002) director/producer
* Harnasie / King Roger (2008) director/set designer