Wajda, Andrzej

Wajda, Andrzej (än`jā vī`dä), 1926–, Polish film director. His films are often studies of Poland's history and its recent or contemporary politics and often concentrate on the national yearning for freedom. They include A Generation (1954), Kanal (1957), Ashes and Diamonds (1958), Man of Marble (1977), Man of Iron (1981), Danton (1982), Korczak (1990), and Pan Tadeusz (1999). Wajda, who is also a theater director, was active in Polish politics after the end of Communist rule, serving in the senate (1989–91) and as chairman of the nation's Cultural Council (1992–94). In 2000 he received a special lifetime-achievement Academy Award.