Antczak, Jerzy

(1929-)

   Film director and scriptwriter Jerzy Antczak is chiefly known for his faithful adaptation of Maria Dabrowska's revered family saga Nights and Days (Noce i dnie, 1975), one of Poland's box-office successes. This epic, melodramatic account of love between emotional and ambitious Barbara (Jadwiga Barańska) and down-to-earth Bogumił (Jerzy Bińczycki) covers almost forty years, beginning in 1874. Antczak also produced an equally successful television series of Nights and Days (thirteen episodes), which premiered on Polish television in 1977. Antczak started his career in 1952 as a theatrical actor and director. He became particularly known for his television work, where he has produced around 130 performances since 1959. In 1968 he directed an adaptation of Józef Ignacy Kraszewski's historical novel Countess Cosel (Hrabina Cosel, 1968, also a television series) followed by Nuremberg Epilogue (Epilog Norymberski, 1970), based on his 1969 celebrated television play. In 1980 Antczak migrated to the United States with his wife, Jadwiga Barańska. Since then, he has directed two films in Poland: Lady of the Camellias (Dama kameliowa, 1994) and Chopin—Desire for Love (Chopin, pragnienie miłości, 2002).

   Historical Dictionary of Polish Cinema by Marek Haltof