Witold Giersz in the Avenue of Stars
On 17 September 2025, at 5 p.m., a star dedicated to Witold Giersz, the Master of Polish animation, was unveiled in the Avenue of Stars on Piotrkowska Street in Łódź. We are proud that our studio had the opportunity to work with Witold. We would like to express our respect and congratulations.
Born on 26 February 1927 in Poraj near Częstochowa.
Director, screenwriter, set designer, animator.
In 1976, he graduated from the Film and Television School in Łódź, directing department. From 1950 to 1952, he worked as an animator at the Śląsk Cartoon Film Production Team in Bielsko-Biała. From 1952 to 1956, he was the chief animator and assistant director at the Cartoon Film Studio in Bielsko-Biała. Sent to Warsaw in 1956, he organised and trained a group of artists as a branch of the Bielsko-Biała studio, which later became the independent Studio Miniatur Filmowych (Miniature Film Studio). He worked at this studio as a director and head of the Artistic Council until 1985.
After a conflict with censorship, he moved to television. Between 1985 and 1992, he served as artistic director and chief director at the Television Animated Film Studio in Poznań. He has made over 40 animated films. He has won over 70 awards and distinctions at national and international festivals (including the Grand Prix in Oberhausen; Grand Prix in Prague; Grand Prix in Cannes, Golden Palm in Cannes, Grand Prix in Krakow, Silver Palm in Cannes, awards in Alexandria, Cork, London, Leipzig, Moscow, Melbourne, Mamai, Necochea, Paris, Poznań, Prague, San Francisco, Sofia, Vienna, Tehran).
He has been awarded, among others, the Gloria Artis Gold Medal (2008), the Commander’s Cross (2001), the Officer’s Cross (1984) and the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (1975). He received the Award of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage (2001), the Prime Minister’s Award for artistic work for children and young people – for his set design work in animated films and puppet theatre (1979, 1981), and the 2nd degree Award of the Ministry of Culture and Art for artistic work (1971). Member of the Board of the Polish Filmmakers Association, member of the Circle of Film Producers for Children and Young People, full member of the Polish Association of Visual Artists.
His most notable films include: Mały western (Little Western), Czerwone i czarne (Red and Black), Koń (Horse), Intelektualista (Intellectual), Pożar (Fire) and Oczekiwanie (Waiting), made in collaboration with Ludwik Perski.
He is the creator of a painting technique in animation.
Since 1985, he has collaborated with the TV Animated Film Studio in Poznań, primarily as the studio’s Artistic Director, director, screenwriter, visual arts, animator and artistic supervisor:
2009
THE SHEPHERD OF A THOUSAND HARES from the series ‘Polish Fairy Tales’ season 2
Artistic supervision
2003
LIVING WATER from the series ‘Polish Fairy Tales’ season 1
Direction, animation
2003 – ABOUT BARTEK THE DOCTOR from the series ‘Polish Fairy Tales’ season 1
Animation
2001
RED HILL from the series ‘Animated Fairy Tales of the World’
Direction, layout, animation
Producer: S4C~ for Children’s Television Trust International
1995
IN THE CAVE OF THE MOUNTAIN KING to the music of Edvard Grieg
Director, screenplay, visual arts, animation
Awards:
AWARD – BEST OF SHOW, VISUAL MUSIC, Speechless Film Festival, Mancato, Minnesota, USA, 2015
DIRECTING DIPLOMA, International Festival of Animated Films for Children – Biennial of Animation BAB’99, Bratislava, Slovakia, 1999
BRONZE ELEPHANT AWARD granted by the Children’s Jury at the 1st Children’s and Youth Film Festival, Warsaw, 1996
1993
RONDO ALLA TURCA to music by W.A. Mozart
Screenplay, direction, visual arts, animation
Awards:
DIRECTOR’S DIPLOMA, International Festival of Animated Films for Children – Biennial of Animation BAB’99, Bratislava, Slovakia, 1999
“POZNAŃSKIE KOZIOŁKI” AWARD for animation, granted by the Jury of the 13th National Film Festival for Children “Ale Kino!” Poznań, 1994
MARCINEK AWARD for film production awarded by the Children’s Jury of the 13th National Children’s Film Festival ‘Ale Kino!’ Poznań, 1994
1988 – 1991
THE BLACK GLEAM, 5 episodes
Director, screenplay, visual arts, animation
Awards:
MAIN AWARD FOR ANIMATION for the animation team, awarded by the Jury of the 1st FAZY ’89 Animated Film Biennale, Bielsko-Biała, 1989
MARCINEK AWARD for the film, awarded by the Children’s Jury at the 11th National Film Festival for Children and Young People, Poznań, 1990
‘BRĄZOWY SŁONECZNIK’ AWARD awarded by the Jury of the Children’s Television Series Festival, Gołańcza, 1991
1986
REINCARNATION – ANDANTE
Director, screenplay, visual arts, animation
1986
REINCARNATION – FINALL
Director, screenplay, visual arts, animation
