Nasfeter, Janusz

(1920-1998)

   Director and scriptwriter renowned for his children's films, Nasfeter established himself with films such as Small Dramas (Małe dramaty, 1958) and Colored Stockings (Kolorowe pończochy, 1960). Later he continued to write and direct films, primarily addressed to children but with a universal meaning, such as Abel, Your Brother (Abel, twój brat, 1970), Butterflies (Motyle, 1973), and My War, My Love (Moja wojna, moja miłość, 1975). Mostly known as the master of films for young adults, for which he received several international festival awards, Nasfeter was, however, a versatile filmmaker. In the 1960s, he succeeded in making partisan war film The Wounded in the Forest (Ranny w lesie, 1964), psychological war drama Weekend with a Girl (Weekend z dziewczyną, 1968), as well as crime film The Criminal and the Maiden (Zbrodniarz i panna, 1963), starring Ewa Krzyżewska and Zbigniew Cybulski. Nasfeter's Holocaust drama, The Long Night (Długa noc), produced in 1967, was immediately shelved by the authorities and not released until 1989. Unloved (Niekochana, 1966), Nasfeter's film based on Adolf Rudnicki's short story, remains one of his most interesting works. The film deals with the unhappy, obsessive, and damaging love of a Jewish woman, Noemi (Elżbieta Czyżewska), for a Polish fine arts student. Set just hours before the outbreak of World War II and told in flashbacks, the film portrays the story of the lovers' separations and reunions and Noemi's mental breakdown.

   Other films: Two Brigades (Dwie brygady, 1950), My Old Man (Mój stary, 1962), This Cruel, Villainous Boy (Ten okrutny, nikczemny chłopak, 1972), Queen of Bees (Królowa pszczół, 1977), To Dream within a Dream (Śnić we śnie, 1979).

   Historical Dictionary of Polish Cinema by Marek Haltof