Andrzej Wajda (1926 - 2016)

Our Festival would like to farewell the Maestro of Film Directing, late Andrzej Wajda. Mr. Wajda was connected to our Festival, since the 1st edition 2003. The 1st edition honored the World Premiere of Andrzej Wajda` s masterwork "Wyrok na Franciszka Kłosa" ("Sentence of Franciszek Kłos").

The 5th edition 2007 was dedicated to Mr. Andrzej Wajda. The Festival presented the film retrospective of Mr. Wajda, docs about him and the exhibition of Andrzej Wajda`s films posters. The 5th edition was opened by Mr. Wajda`s masterpiece "Katyń", which was nominated to OSCAR three months later.








Shimon Peres (1923 - 2016)

Our Festival would like to say goodbye to the most progressive Israeli Politician, B. M. Shimon Peres. President Peres was a great Friend of our Festival since the beginning - the First Edition in 2003. His "The Peres Center for Peace" and "Polish Society of Friends Peres Center for Peace" became Honorary Patrons of our Festival in 2003 and 2004. I had a great honor and pleasure to meet and talk with President Peres twice. He became an inspiration for all of us in organizing peaceful meetings during our Festival in the years 2003 - 2016 between Palestinians and Israelis. His legacy will never be forgotten, but it will continue until peace is reached and then mutual existence of two states will benefit all their citizens.

Sincerely,
Daniel Strehlau, Festival founder, Sept. 29 2016, Los Angeles, Ca.





Jan Kulczyk (1950 - 2015)

The Kulczyk Foundation was one of the sponsors of 2015 and 2016 WJFF.
Mr. Jan Kulczyk has donated one of the record sums of 4.76 million Euro to the Museum of the History of Polish Jews "POLLIN" in Warsaw.
Mr. Jan Kulczyk was a Polish oligarch and deal broker. He was the founder and owner of Kulczyk Holding (headquartered in Warsaw) and an international investment house Kulczyk Investments (former name: Kulczyk Investment House) with headquarters in Luxembourg and offices in London and Kyiv. According to the Forbes magazine, Kulczyk was the richest Pole (Net worth: $4.1 billion (February 2015).

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Tadeusz Konwicki (1926 - 2015)

The 11th edition 2013 was dedicated to Tadeusz Konwicki.
Tadeusz Konwicki was a Polish writer and film director, as well as a member of the Polish Language Council. He was 1958 Venice International FF Grand Prix Golden Lion winner for his "The Last Day of Summer" ("Ostatni dzien lata", 1958)

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Mike Nichols (1931 - 2014)

The 13th edition of WJFF 2015 had honor to be dedicated to Mr. Mike Nichols.


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Paul Mazursky (1930 - 2014)

The 8th edition of 2010 was dedicated to Paul Mazursky.

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Wisława Szymborska (1923 - 2012)



The recipient of the 1996 Nobel Prize in Literature. Ms. Szymborska, a poet, supported the 1st edition of WJFF 2003. The 1st edition was honored by getting an email with best wishes from Ms. Szymborska from Krakow City. Her email was published in the 2003 Festival catalogue.

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Maria Kornatowska (1935 - 2011)

The Jury Member of the 1st edition of WJFF 2003. Ms. Kornatowska was Professor at the Film School in Lodz City, she published several books about film directors, the most famouse one is about Federico Fellini - "Fellini". She was one of the most popular film critics.

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Irvin Kershner (1923 - 2010)



The Jury Chairman of the 2nd edition of WJFF 2004

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Gustaw Holoubek (1923 - 2008)

The 6th edition of WJFF 2008 was dedicated to Gustaw Holoubek.
Gustaw Holoubek was a Polish theater and film actor, director and theater educator, president of the Association of Polish Theatre and Film Artists, a member of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Member of Parliament of Poland VII and VIII term, senator of the first term.
He acted in about 99 stage theater performances, 120 TV stage theaters shows and in 63 movie productions. He was Professor at the Theatre Academy in Warsaw. For many years he was director of the Dramatic Theatre in Warsaw. It was canceled in January 1983 due to a conflict with the communist authorities.
He acted the main character in “Forefathers” by Adam Mickiewicz, staged in 1967 by Kazimierz Dejmek at the National Theatre. The removal of this play from the theater by the authorities contributed and initiated the outbreak of student demonstrations and nation wide events marked the beginning of Polish anti-communist revolution of March 1968.

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John Daly (1937 - 2008)

John Daly was Jury Chairman of 3rd edition of WJFF 2005.
John Daly was born on July 16, 1937 in London, England. He was a producer and writer, known for The Terminator (1984), Platoon (1986) and The Last Emperor (1987). He died on October 31, 2008 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

In 2005, John Daly produced, co-wrote and directed "The Aryan Couple", starring Oscar winner Martin Landau, which opened the 3rd edition WJFF 2005. The opening screening was a European Premiere of the movie.

On behalf of his companies, John Daly achieved 21 Oscar nominations and 13 wins, including back-to-back Best Picture wins for Platoon and The Last Emperor (as executive producer, shared with the film's producer Jeremy Thomas), an unequaled achievement in independent filmmaking.

Throughout his forty-year career, Daly won numerous awards at the Golden Globes, the Cannes Film Festival, the Berlin International Film Festival, the Independent Spirit Awards and the Houston Film Festival, along with many other prizes.

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Prof. Henryk Kluba (1931 - 2005)


The Jury Chairman of the 1st edition of WJFF 2003. Prof. Kluba was a rector of the Film School in the Lodz City, a film director, and film actor, who acted in the first short movies by Roman Polanski.

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