The award winner's name was announced during a gala at the Silesian Theater, Stanisław Wyspiański in Katowice, on Friday evening. Holland received a statuette designed by Erwin Sówka and PLN 50,000 funded by the Katowice local government.
Kazimierz Julian Kutz was a Polish film director, author, journalist, and politician, one of the representatives of the Polish Film School, and a deputy speaker of the Senate of Poland.
The award is given on the 95th birthday of its patron, who passed away in 2018. This year, apart from Holland, the jury nominated singer Daria ze Śląska (eng. Daria from Silesia), actor Krzysztof Głuchowski, composer Aleksander Nowak, and actress Joanna Szczepkowska for the award.
After receiving the honor, Holland expressed her gratitude, saying that the award was special to her as it holds a different meaning. "This award is proof of trust, and that's how I perceive it,” she noted.
When asked by journalists about what she had in common with Kutz, she mentioned their shared sense of adventure, alertness, and a refusal to blindly follow authority. She also talked about fighting for what is right and speaking one's mind without hesitation. With a smile, she joked that she might be a bit more tactful than Kazio since she is a woman and certain language might be viewed as “inappropriate”.
Agnieszka Holland is the winner of many prestigious international awards and distinctions. In 2012, her film "In Darkness" was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Foreign Language Film category. "The Green Border" from 2023, directed by her, received the Special Jury Prize in the Main Competition of the 80th Venice International Film Festival.
The Organizers of the Kazimierz Kutz Award are the City of Katowice, the University of Silesia in Katowice, and the Stanisław Wyspiański Silesian Theatre. The founder of the award is the City of Katowice.
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Source: PAP