Lesiewicz, Witold

(1922-)

   Director and 1951 graduate of the Łódź Film School who gained prominence with a series of war films made during the Polish School period. In Deserter (Dezerter, 1958), set during World War II in Upper Silesia, he dealt with the fate of young Poles living in the territories annexed by the Reich who were forced to join the German army. His next film, First Year (Rokpierwszy, 1960), described the 1944 situation in Poland with the Home Army (AK) opposing the implementation of the Communist system. Produced in 1961, April (Kwiecień) concerned the ordinary soldiers of the Second Polish Army during the final stages of the war. In 1963 Lesiewicz completed The Passenger, Andrzej Munk's unfinished project. His later films included the contemporary social drama One Position (Miejsce dla jednego, 1966) and the historical film Bolesław the Bold (Bolesław Śmiały, 1972).

   Other films: Between Shorelines (Między brzegami, 1963), The Unknown (Nieznany, 1964).

   Historical Dictionary of Polish Cinema by Marek Haltof