Meet Agnieszka Holland: Two Nights at TIFF Bell Lightbox March 31, April 1 '14

Agnieszka Holland at TIFF

Books on Film: Agnieszka Holland on Washington Square Monday, March 31 7pm
In Conversation With... Agnieszka Holland Tuesday, April 1 7pm

                                             Agnieszka Holland

One of the greatest filmmakers working today lands at TIFF this week. Poland’s Agnieszka Holland will introduce her landmark American film Washington Square at Lightbox Monday March 31 and the following night April 1, she will join TIFF’s Piers Handling in conversation about her extraordinary and unique career.

Holland’s films are infused with politics stemming in part from growing up in Poland just two years after WWII and the darkness of the Nazi occupation. After that came the Soviets.  Her parents were political; her mother took part in the Warsaw Uprising and her father died mysteriously in police custody, as a Communist working against the Red Army.

Holland took an early interest in the arts and studied theatre and film. After honing her skills at school, she began her career and became one of Poland’s leading filmmakers.  Later she worked internationally to tremendous acclaim.                                                 

                                 

In Darkness

Today Holland is best known for films like In Darkness, Europa, Europa, The Secret Garden, Total Eclipse and Washington Square, and the American TV series The Wire, The Killing and Treme and the Czech miniseries The Burning Bush.  Holland often looks at themes of man’s injustice to man and the legacy of brutality.   

                                                             

Washington Square

Holland will appear at TIFF Bell Lightbox Monday night to present her 1997 period piece Washington Square, set in upper crust New York city in the 1850’s  and starring Jennifer Jason Leigh, Ben Chaplin and Maggie Smith.  This brooding adaptation of Henry James’ novel tells the story of a woman with little life experience who falls in love with a man her father claims is a gold digger.  He could be right.  It’s a heartbreaking piece about the mystery and treachery of love.

The Burning Bush

Holland returns to TIFF Tuesday night to join TIFF Director & CEO Piers Handling in discussion of her extraordinary career in film and television. Says Handling “"Award-winning and Oscar nominated filmmaker Agnieszka Holland is one of Poland's most prominent directors. She has fearlessly tackled a series of thorny issues over her career. The Holocaust has held an ongoing fascination resulting in two of her best known works, Europa, Europa and In Darkness, but she has also excelled at literary adaptations, hard-hitting films about contemporary issues, and portraits of prominent and troubled artists."

 TIFF offers an extraordinary opportunity to watch one of the great filmmakers of our time talk about the work, her passion and methods.  Don’t miss her. 

From TIFF:  This screening is eligible for our Rush policy. Please be sure to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the screening. If the event goes Off Sale, we will sell tickets to the Rush line 10 minutes before the start of the screening.