„For imagination, ambition and perfect direction skills" – says the jury statement. The Prizes were handed to the winners at the National Opera House in Warsaw, on 13 February. In the film category for the "Polityka" Passport Prize also competed Elwira Niewiera, Piotr Rosołowski and Tomasz Kot.

Here is the “Polityka” weekly nominee presentation which reads: "His films tease, intrigue, initiate national discussions, which is the most important in a “film director - film viewer” relationship".

The editorial staff of "Polityka" has drawn attention to Komasa's latest film „Miasto 44” by saying: „He's the youngest director in the history of Polish cinema who has made a film on such a big production scale, at the same time creating a new approach to a film production process. He spent many years getting ready to carry out the project. He employed the best professionals including special effects specialists from Hollywood. But most of all he succeeded in telling the tragic story of the Warsaw Uprising in modern aesthetics, which appeal to young viewers. So far nobody in the Polish cinema has shown a war story in such a way”.

Komasa, who comes from an artistic family background, was a Lodz Film School student. His talent manifested itself already in the second year of his studies when he made a student film „Nice to see you” which received a distinction at the Cinéfondation Film Student Competition at the Cannes International Film Festival. His full-length feature film debut, „Sala samobójców”, has been a great box office success highly acclaimed by the film critics. Jan Komasa is also the originator and co-screenwriter of the first in the world non-fiction war drama "The Warsaw Uprising" made with the usage of the Uprising original archive films.

Photo - Leszek Zych/"Polityka" – Competition press material