Krystyna Jolanta Janda (born 18 December 1952, in Starachowice, Poland) is a Polish film and theater actress best known for playing leading roles in several films by Polish director Andrzej Wajda, including Man of Marble (Człowiek z marmuru, 1976) and Man of Iron (Człowiek z żelaza, 1981).
Life and work
Throughout her career, she has received numerous prestigious awards, such as Best Actress at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival, Silver Shell for Best Actress at the San Sebastian Film Festival for her role in Waldemar Krzystek's film Zwolnienie z życia, Best Actress Award at the 1987 Montreal Film Festival for the role in Helma Sanders-Brahms's Laputa, Best Actress Award at the Belgrade Film Festival for Interrogation, the Zbigniew Cybulski Award for best young Polish actress, as well as 4 Golden Duck Awards. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest actresses in the history of Polish cinema and was selected in a 1998 Polityka magazine survey among the greatest actresses of the 20th century.
In 2005, she established her own private "Polonia Theatre" in Warsaw. She is the founder and head of the Krystyna Janda Cultural Foundation.
Personal life
During 1974–1979 she was in a relationship with the actor Andrzej Seweryn. In 1981, she married Edward Kłosiński, who died on 5 January 2008. She has three children: daughter Maria Seweryn and two sons Adam and Jędrzej Kłosiński. Janda currently lives in Milanówek near Warsaw.
Selected filmography
1976: Man of Marble – Agnieszka
1977: (pl ) – Krystyna
1977: (pl ) – Elżbieta Biecka
1978: Without Anesthesia – Agata
1978: (pl ) – Anna
1979: Manchmal besucht der Neffe die Tante (guest performance) 1980: (de ) – Katzka Widuchowski 1980: The Orchestra Conductor – Marta 1980: (fr ) – Rozyna 1980: W biały dzień – Ewa 1980: Uoni – Kira Kirova 1981: (pl ) – psychologist 1981: Man of Iron – Agnieszka 1981: Mephisto – Barbara Bruckner 1981: The War of the Worlds: Next Century – Gea 1981: Fik – Mik – Doktor Anita 1982: Avant la bataille – as herself 1982: Ce fut un bel été – Wanda 1982: Espion, lève-toi – Anna Gretz 1982: Interrogation – Antonina Dziwisz 1983: Bella Donna – Lena 1983: (pl ) – Ewa Jaskólska 1983: (pl ) – Majka Lenczewska 1983: (pl ) – Gloria Lamb 1984: Glut – Anna 1984: O-Bi, O-Ba: The End of Civilization – Gea 1984: (de ) – Gerlinde 1985: Vertiges – Maria 1985: (pl ) – Krystyna Traczyk 1986: Laputa – Malgorzata 1986: (pl ) – Anna Mroczyńska 1987: On the Silver Globe – Aza 1987: A Short Film About Killing – Dorota 1988: Dekalog: Two – Dorota Geller 1988: Dekalog: Five – Dorota Geller 1989: Inventory – Julia 1991: (pl ) – Margaret Szymanko 1992: (pl ) – French woman 1995: (pl ) – Agata Koman 1995: (pl ) – Magda 1995: (pl ) – Halina 1995: (pl ) – Ewa Kozłowska 1997: An Air So Pure – Ms. Leduroy 2000: Life as a Fatal Sexually Transmitted Disease – Anna 2000: (pl ) – wife 2000: (de ) – Elka 2001: (pl ) – Jadwiga Barykowa 2002: (pl ) – Krystyna Janda 2005: (pl ) – Jadwiga Stańczakowa 2005: Call of the Toad – Aleksandra Piątkowska 2007: (pl ) – Wiadro 2009: Tatarak – Marta / Actress 2009: Reverse – Irena Jankowska, Sabina's mother 2011: Elles – Alicja's mother 2015: Panie Dulskie - Melania Dulska's grandmother
Television series
1973: Czarne chmury (pl), Polish TV series – dancer
1978: Rodzina Połanieckich (pl), Polish TV series – Christina
1979: Doktor Murek (pl), Polish TV series – Zośka "Arletka" 1984: Eine blaßblaue Frauenschrift (de), Austrian TV film based on Pale blue ink in a lady's hand novel – Amelia Tachezy 1988: Wilder Westen inclusive (de) – Marianne Küssling 1989: Modrzejewska (pl), Polish TV series – Helena Modrzejewska 1991: Kuchnia polska (pl), Polish political film and TV series – Margaret Szymanko 1993: Der große Bellheim (de) – Maria Bellheim 2002: Przedwiośnie (pl), TV series based on The Spring to Come novel – Jadwiga Barykowa 2003–2004: Męskie-żeńskie (pl), Polish TV comedy series – Lilka Janicka 2007: Niania (pl), TV series, remake of American sitcom The Nanny - Episode 66: "Moje perły" – as herself 2011: Bez tajemnic (pl), Polish TV series – Barbara Lewicka
Discography (guest performances)