The Pianist (2002)

Director:

Roman Polanski

Writers:

Ronald Harwood (screenplay)
Wladyslaw Szpilman (based on the book by)

Release Date:

28 March 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History | War

Tagline:

Music was his passion. Survival was his masterpiece.

Plot:

A Polish Jewish musician struggles to survive the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto of World War II.

Plot Keywords:

Warsaw Ghetto | Jewish | Piano | Nazi | Pianist

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 48 wins & 47 nominations

Cast

Adrien Brody	...	Wladyslaw Szpilman
Emilia Fox	...	Dorota
Michal Zebrowski	...	Jurek
Ed Stoppard	...	Henryk
Maureen Lipman	...	Mother
Frank Finlay	...	Father
Jessica Kate Meyer	...	Halina
Julia Rayner	...	Regina
Wanja Mues	...	SS Slapping Father
Richard Ridings	...	Mr. Lipa
Nomi Sharron	...	Feather Woman
Anthony Milner	...	Man Waiting to Cross
Lucy Skeaping	...	Street Musician (as Lucie Skeaping)
Roddy Skeaping	...	Street Musician
Ben Harlan	...	Street Musician
Thomas Lawincky	...	Schutzpolizei (as Thomas Lawinky)
Joachim Paul Assböck	...	Schutzpolizei
Roy Smiles	...	Itzak Heller
Paul Bradley	...	Yehuda
Daniel Caltagirone	...	Majorek
Andrzej Blumenfeld	...	Benek
Darian Wawer	...	Child at the Wall
Zbigniew Zamachowski	...	Customer with Coins
Lejb Fogelman	...	Customer with Coins
Detlev von Wangenheim	...	SS Officer (as Detlev Von Wangenheim)
Popeck	...	Rubenstein (as Popek)
Zofia Czerwinska	...	Woman with Soup
Emilio Fernandez	...	The Soup Snatcher
Udo Kroschwald	...	Schultz
Uwe Rathsam	...	SS Shooting the Woman
Joanna Brodzik	...	Woman Shot in the Head
Katarzyna Bargielowska	...	Wailing Woman
Maja Ostaszewska	...	Woman with Child
John Bennett	...	Dr. Ehrlich
Cyril Shaps	...	Mr. Grün
Wojciech Smolarz	...	Boy with Sweets
Lech Mackiewicz	...	Fellow Worker
Ruth Platt	...	Janina
Frank-Michael Köbe	...	SS Shooting Benek (as Frank Michael Köbe)
Torsten Flach	...	Zig Zag
Peter Rappenglück	...	SS Making a Speech
Ronan Vibert	...	Janina's Husband
Krzysztof Pieczynski	...	Gebczynski
Katarzyna Figura	...	Neighbour
Valentine Pelka	...	Dorota's Husband
Andrew Tiernan	...	Szalas
Tom Strauss	...	Dr. Luczak
Thomas Kretschmann	...	Captain Wilm Hosenfeld
Cezary Kosinski	...	Lednicki
Grzegorz Artman
Adam Bauman
Pawel Burczyk	...	Polish Workman
Zbigniew Dziduch
Marian Dziedziel
Nina Franoszek	...	Polish Woman
Jerzy Góralczyk		(as Jerzy Goralczyk)
John Keogh	...	Polish Officer
Jaroslaw Kopaczewski
Patrick Lanagan
Dmitri Leshchenko	...	Russian Soldier (as Dymitr Leszczenko)
Dorota Liliental
Rafal Mohr	...	Schutzpolizei
Andrzej Pieczynski	...	Prisoner
Morgane Polanski	...	Girl
Norbert Rakowski
Piotr Siejka
Weronika Szen
Andrzej Szenajch
Tomasz Tyndyk
Andrzej Walden
Zbigniew Walerys
Maciej Winkler
Tadeusz Wojtych
Andrzej Zielinski
Maurycy Zylber	...	German Film Crew
Xawery Zylber
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tomasz Golaski	...	Zyd
Tomasz Ciszewski	...	Jew (uncredited)
Rafal Dajbor	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Roman Garbowski	...	(uncredited)
Anna Gryszka	...	Woman in Ghetto (uncredited)
Adrian Hood	...	Piano Buyer (uncredited)
Ryszard Kluge	...	Jew Working on the Bulding Site (uncredited)
Maciej Kowalewski	...	SS Officer (uncredited)
Ireneusz Machnicki	...	SS Officer (uncredited)
Pawel Malaszynski	...	Man in Ghetto (uncredited)
Adam Malecki	...	German Soldier in the Ghetto (uncredited)
Aleksandra Nizynska	...	Girl (uncredited)
Axel Prahl	...	German Soldier - Rummage Bags (uncredited)
Dagmara Sieminska	...	Women in Ghetto (uncredited)
Izabella Szolc	...	Women in Ghetto (uncredited)
Daniel Szpilman	...	Boy in Warsaw Ghetto (uncredited)
Dawid Szurmiej	...	Man in Ghetto (uncredited)
Borys Szyc	...	Young Gestapo (uncredited)
Jacek Wolszczak	...	Man in Ghetto (uncredited)
Pawel Zdun	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Roman Polanski

Writing credits
Ronald Harwood		(screenplay)
Wladyslaw Szpilman		(based on the book by)

Produced by
Robert Benmussa	....	producer
Timothy Burrill	....	executive producer
Daniel Champagnon	....	line producer
Gene Gutowski	....	co-producer
Henning Molfenter	....	executive producer
Roman Polanski	....	producer
Lew Rywin	....	executive producer
Alain Sarde	....	producer
Rainer Schaper	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Wojciech Kilar

Cinematography by
Pawel Edelman		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Hervé de Luze		(as Herve De Luze)

Casting by
Celestia Fox

Production Design by
Allan Starski

Art Direction by
Nenad Pecur

Set Decoration by
Wieslawa Chojkowska
Gabriele Wolff

Costume Design by
Anna B. Sheppard		(as Anna Sheppard)

Makeup Department
Sonali Chatterjee	....	hair assistant
Sonali Chatterjee	....	makeup assistant
Jean-Max Guérin	....	hairstylist (as Jean-Max Guerin)
Alicja Kozlowska	....	hair assistant
Alicja Kozlowska	....	makeup assistant
Dariusz Krysiak	....	hair assistant
Dariusz Krysiak	....	makeup assistant
Didier Lavergne	....	makeup artist
Tomasz Matraszek	....	hair assistant
Tomasz Matraszek	....	makeup assistant
Beata Matuszczak	....	hair assistant
Beata Matuszczak	....	makeup assistant
Irmela Oswald	....	hair assistant (as Irmela Osswald)
Irmela Oswald	....	makeup assistant (as Irmela Osswald)
Waldemar Pokromski	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Sonja Döring	....	assistant production manager
Oliver Lüer	....	production manager
Françoise Piraud	....	post-production manager (as Francoise Piraud)
Michal Szczerbic	....	production manager
Henning Molfenter	....	production supervisor: Germany (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ewa Brodzka	....	second assistant director
Zbigniew Gruz	....	assistant director
Weronika Migon	....	second assistant director
Ralph Remstedt	....	first assistant director
Oliver Schnug	....	second assistant director
Marcin Szczerbic	....	second assistant director
Caroline Veyssière	....	assistant director
Aleksandrs Petukhovs	....	second second assistant director (uncredited)
Marianna Rowinska	....	second second assistant director (uncredited)
Filip Jan Rymsza	....	second second assistant director (uncredited)
David Seffer	....	set trainee assistant director (uncredited)
Jordan Waugh	....	assistant director: additional photography (uncredited)

Art Department
Anna Adamaszek	....	assistant art director
Kerstin Braun	....	prop assistant
Jacek Czechowski	....	assistant set decorator
Bogdan Dulak	....	set carpenter
Krzysztof Dulak	....	set carpenter
Michael Düwel	....	head of art department
Michael Eigert	....	carpenter
Eckart Friz	....	prop buyer
Tadeusz Frymarski	....	swing gang
Manfred Grimm	....	construction coordinator
Martin Hartmann	....	carpenter
Matthias Hein	....	construction dresser
Adrian Hochstrasser	....	assistant art director
Peter Hoyer	....	supervising painter
Oliver Humke	....	construction manager (as Oliver Loesch Humke)
Gracia Janowicz	....	property master
Dirk Kaiser	....	construction dresser
Andreas Karbe	....	carpenter
Christoph Kettenring	....	prop buyer
Daniel Klappenbach	....	supervising plasterer
Daniela Klewitz	....	art department coordinator
Will Kley	....	assistant art director
Sven Klingsberg	....	carpenter (as Sven Klingberg)
Marian Kolodziejczyk	....	swing gang
Sebastian T. Krawinkel	....	assistant production designer (as Sebastian Krawinkel)
Christian Krebs	....	construction dresser
Ivo Krebs	....	prop driver
Marek Kukawski	....	assistant art director
Jan-Martin Köhler	....	construction dresser
Jens Leiche	....	metalworker
Alexander Liebenthron	....	props driver (as Alex Liebenthron)
Dariusz Lipinski	....	stand-by props
Cezary Matysiak	....	assistant prop master
Dave Meacom	....	specialist painter
David Meeking	....	supervising painter
Alexis Miszak	....	construction dresser
Thorsten Münch	....	construction dresser
Peter Naguib	....	standby props
Michael Nitsche	....	painter
Jochen Panten	....	construction manager
Olav Perleberger	....	construction dresser
Ewa Pfeifer	....	art department coordinator
Matthias Prange	....	swing gang on set
Maxime Rebière	....	storyboard (as Maxime Rebiere)
Thilo Reifert	....	construction foreman
John Roberts	....	specialist painter
Ingo Rohde	....	carpenter
Ewa Rojek	....	assistant art director
Mark Rosinski	....	assistant set decorator
Andrzej Rychtarczyk	....	construction foreman
Dariusz Rzepecki	....	swing gang
Grzegorz Rzepecki	....	prop buyer
Heike Sander	....	construction dresser
Uwe Schaer	....	construction manager
Udo Scharnowski	....	construction coordinator
Kay Schilling	....	prop assistant
Annerose Schlegel	....	prop department
Simone Schlehahn	....	assistant set decorator
Norbert Schröder	....	swing gang on set
Armin Schulz	....	supervising carpenter
Leon Schulz	....	construction dresser
Torsten Schwartz	....	plasterer
Oliver Spies	....	construction dresser
Pawel Stachowiak	....	swing gang
Ralf Stottrop	....	set painter
Ryszard Szymanski	....	painter
Wlodzimierz Szyrle	....	assistant art director
Anke Vetter	....	construction dresser
Caroline Von Voss	....	construction dresser
Joey Weber	....	prop buyer
Waldemar Weiss	....	construction coordinator
Jan Wewer	....	construction dresser
Pierre Brayard	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Zuzana Cizmarova	....	set designer (uncredited)
Severino Gürtler	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Philipp Hübner	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Anja Müller	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Matthias Prange	....	construction supervisor (uncredited)
Matthias Prange	....	stand-by carpenter (uncredited)
Hauke Richter	....	set designer pre-production (uncredited)
Cindy Schnitter	....	plasterer (uncredited)
Tobias Schroeter	....	plasterer (uncredited)
Joey Weber	....	leadman (uncredited)
Berndt Wenzel	....	plasterer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Nicolas Becker	....	foley artist
Jean-Marie Blondel	....	production sound mixer
Nicolas Bourgeois	....	studio assistant
Katia Boutin	....	dialogue editor
Claude Broutin	....	assistant sound editor
Marilena Cavola	....	assistant sound editor
Fabrice Conesa	....	foley recordist
Paul Conway	....	supervising adr editor
Edouard d'Heucqueville	....	studio assistant (as Edouard D'Heucqueville)
Gérard de Lagarde	....	sound effects (as Gerard De Lagarde)
Assia Dnednia	....	foley artist
Piotr Farynski	....	sound technician
Marie Guesnier	....	sound library
Gérard Hardy	....	sound editor (as Gerard Hardy)
James Harrison	....	adr editor
Stefan Henrix	....	adr editor
Dean Humphreys	....	re-recording mixer
Nikolas Javelle	....	assistant sound editor (as Nicolas Javelle)
Anne Le Campion	....	co-mixer
Stephane Lioret	....	boom operator
Pierre Mertens	....	sound library
Carlos Pinto	....	assistant sound editor
Raphael Sohier	....	assistant sound editor
Svetlana Vaynblat	....	assistant sound editor
Alexandre Widmer	....	crowd editor
Philippe Dongé	....	sound mix technician (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Adrian Lorbert	....	special effects technician
Alister Mazzotti	....	special effects coordinator
Hans Seck	....	special effects coordinator
Roland Tropp	....	snow
Zbigniew Urbaszek	....	special effects technician
Kazimierz Wróblewski	....	special effects coordinator (as Kazimierz Wroblewski)
Lightning Bear	....	special effects advisor (uncredited)
Jan Gwiasda	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Maurice Koester	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)
Volker Lorig	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Jason Oettle	....	special effects technician: physical effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Nastuh Abootalebi	....	digital effects compositor: das werk
Thierry Barnay	....	image transfer: Eclair Numerique
Andreas Beck	....	assistant compositor: das werk
Roger Beck	....	systems administrator: das werk
Odile Beraud	....	production assistant: Eclair Numerique
Billy	....	image transfer: Eclair Numerique
Elena Blum	....	assistant compositor: das werk
Ronald Boullet	....	digital restauration: Eclair Numerique
Stephanie Boutinaud	....	digital restauration: Eclair Numerique
Michel Briegel	....	assistant compositor: das werk
Cania	....	digital mattepaint artist: das werk
Arnaud Chelet	....	digital artist: Eclair Numerique
Alain Chene	....	scanning assistant: Eclair Numerique
Arno Clerc	....	digital restauration: Eclair Numerique
Peter Connelly	....	digital effects compositor: das werk
Rosana D'Andrea	....	scanning assistant: Eclair Numerique
Philipp Danner	....	assistant compositor: das werk
Olivier Debert	....	digital artist: Eclair Numerique
Wolfgang Dell	....	gaffer: Magicon (as Wolfi Dell)
Mark Dollery	....	scanning and recording: das werk
Yann Doray	....	digital artist: Eclair Numerique
Philipp Eckel	....	image data wrangler: das werk
Mitch Enzmann	....	motion control operator: Magicon
Roxane Fechner	....	production assistant: Eclair Numerique
Nico Feindt	....	3d animator: das werk
Raphael Fink	....	electrician: Magicon
Thierry Flament	....	image transfer: Eclair Numerique
Derek Flood	....	3d animator: das werk
Valérie Flouquet	....	digital restauration: Eclair Numerique (as Valerie Flouquet)
Jerome Fournier	....	matte painting: Eclair Numerique
Alexander Gabrysch	....	digital effects compositor: das werk
Stefan Galleithner	....	video operator: Magicon
Moritz Glaesle	....	digital effects compositor: das werk (as Moritz Gläsle)
Joachim Grüninger	....	miniature supervisor: Magicon
Joachim Grüninger	....	motion-control supervisor: Magicon
Melanie Göggelmann	....	production coordinator: das werk
Philip Hahn	....	production accountant: das werk
David Hofmann	....	3d technical director: das werk
Walter Hörger	....	scanning and recording: das werk
Philippe Jarland	....	digital artist: Eclair Numerique
Michel Jonas	....	programming & software development: das werk
Christophe Keichinger	....	scanning assistant: Eclair Numerique
Arassou Kichenassamy	....	scanning assistant: Eclair Numerique
Oliver Kirchhoff	....	3d animator: das werk
Martin Kretschmer	....	assistant modelmaker: Magicon
Ines Krüger	....	assistant compositor: das werk
Christian Künstler	....	visual effects supervisor
Michel Lazarus	....	modelmaker: Magicon (as Michel 'Lazy' Lazarus)
Yvan Lucas	....	grader: Eclair Numerique
Britta Mangold	....	director of photography: Magicon
Joyce Menger	....	production: Eclair Numerique
David Montoya	....	scanning assistant: Eclair Numerique
Frederic Moreau	....	production: Eclair Numerique
Sarah Moreau	....	production assistant: Eclair Numerique (as Sarah Flament)
Nicolas Morlet	....	digital artist: Eclair Numerique
Michael Multhoff	....	image data wrangler: das werk
Katharina Nobis	....	camera assistant: Magicon
Jan Oehlschläger	....	assistant compositor: das werk
Connie Oettl	....	model painter: Magicon
Fabien Pascal	....	grader: Eclair Numerique
Paul Poetsch	....	lead shake compositor: das werk
Tanja Rath	....	graphics artist: das werk
Philippe Reinaudo	....	scanning and recording: Eclair Numerique
Mourad Rennou	....	scanning assistant: Eclair Numerique
Michel Roca	....	digital artist: Eclair Numerique
Helmut Rossma	....	electrician: Magicon
Matthias Scharfenberg	....	digital film i/o supervisor: das werk
Henrik Scheib	....	workshop coordinator: Magicon
Abraham Schneider	....	digital effects compositor: das werk
Bernd Schulze	....	digital effects compositor: das werk
Philippe Soeiro	....	digital artist: Eclair Numerique
Philippe Soeiro	....	digital compositing supervisor: Eclair Numerique
Gérard Soirant	....	scanning and recording: Eclair Numerique (as Gerard Soirant)
Swen Spichtinger	....	3d animator: das werk
Gerhard Spring	....	scanning and recording: das werk
Robinson Steinke	....	3d animator: das werk
Saskia Stoever	....	modelmaker: Magicon (as Saskia Stoewer)
Oliver Stück	....	assistant compositor: das werk
Markus Thanner	....	electrician: Magicon
Sebastian Tuttas	....	modelmaker: Magicon
Christoph Unger	....	digital mattepaint artist: Das Werk
Morgan Varona	....	digital artist: Eclair Numerique
Carole Vasseur	....	production assistant: Eclair Numerique
Gunnar Wittig	....	3d technical director: das werk
Steffen Zeugner	....	video operator: Magicon
Christian Künstler	....	visual effects producer: das werk (uncredited)
Jörg Lehnert	....	motion control assistant (uncredited)
Thomas Tannenberger	....	visual effects producer (uncredited)

Stunts
Zofia Bachleda-Zolnierczyk	....	stunts
Janusz Chlebowski	....	stunts
Piotr Cichon	....	stunts
Robert Cichon	....	stunts
Jacek Dlugosz	....	stunts
Jim Dowdall	....	stunt coordinator
Ryszard Francman	....	stunts
Jacek Jelen	....	stunts
Jacek Kadlubowski	....	stunts
Stella Kuczynska	....	stunts
Zbigniew Modej	....	stunt supervisor
Pawel Pliszka	....	stunts
Tomasz Przybysz	....	stunts
Antje Rau	....	stunt supervisor
Jacek Ryniewicz	....	stunts
Armin Sauer	....	stunt supervisor
Rene Schobes	....	stunts (as Rene Schobess)
Lee Sheward	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Józef Stefanski	....	stunts
Sylwester Zawadzki	....	stunts (as Sylwester Zawadski)
Oliver Fritsche	....	stunt rigger (uncredited)
Christof Genesis	....	stunts (uncredited)
Udo Harnach	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Armin Sauer	....	assistant stunt coordinator: Germany (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jakub Bednarek	....	loader
Miroslaw Bielecki	....	genny operator
Jannot Borowski	....	electrician (as Gannot Borowski)
Peter Buchhardt	....	electrician
Pawel Chiczewski	....	best boy
Marek Cydorowicz	....	clapper
Boguslaw Dabrowski	....	camera operator: second unit (as Bogdan Dabrowski)
Ireneusz Dybowski	....	camera grip
Sonny Christian Fels	....	electrician (as Sonny Fels)
Guy Ferrandis	....	still photographer
Wolfgang Franks	....	crane operator (as Wolfgang Franke)
Volker Gläser	....	camera operator: second unit
Zbigniew Gustowski	....	focus puller
Leslie Haslam	....	translight photographer
Anna-Maria Hora	....	camera assistant: second unit
Andreas Huber	....	electrician
Moritz Kaethner	....	camera assistant: second unit
Patrick Kaethner	....	camera operator: second unit
Zsolt Kalbér	....	electrician
Nikolai Kanow	....	electrician
Adam Karczewski	....	electrician
Piotr Kryska	....	electrician
Remigiusz Kubiak	....	grip
Kaspar Köpke	....	camera assistant: second unit (as Johann Kaspar Köpke)
Artur Lapot	....	electrician
Cezary Lisowski	....	gaffer
Andres Lizana Prado	....	camera assistant: second unit (as Andres Lizana-Prado)
Robert Lukowski	....	camera grip
Adam Napora	....	electrician
Adam Nawrocki	....	grip
Zbigniew Nietresta	....	grip
Richard Nitsche	....	grip
Janusz Nogal	....	genny operator
Marcus Pohlus	....	steadicam operator
Marek Rajca	....	camera operator
Teja Schwede	....	video operator (as Teja Hendrik Schwede)
Albrecht Silberberger	....	gaffer
Carsten Strack	....	electrician (as Carsten Struck)
Julia Suermann	....	camera assistant: second unit (as Julia Sürman)
Jakob Wehrmann	....	electrician
Jörg Widmer	....	steadicam operator
Sönke Hansen	....	additional photographer (uncredited)
Marcus Pohlus	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Vanessa Baker	....	voice casting
Brendan Donnison	....	voice casting
Martina Goldsmith	....	assistant casting director
Alex Johnson	....	assistant casting director
Heta Mantscheff	....	casting: German
Iris Müller	....	assistant casting director

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Janusz Adamiak	....	wardrobe assistant
Magdalena Biedrzycka	....	assistant costume designer
Diana Gollmer	....	wardrobe assistant
Miriam Gomez-Casanova	....	costume aging
Sabine Groh	....	dresser: Mr. Brody
Malgorzata Gwiazdecka	....	assistant costume designer
Ewa Helman-Szczerbic	....	wardrobe assistant (as Ewa Helman)
Brita Hofmann	....	costume aging
Fides Joppien	....	wardrobe assistant
Adam Kocemba	....	wardrobe assistant
Elzbieta Kusnierz	....	wardrobe assistant
Anja Lafin	....	costume aging
Gudrun Leyendecker	....	associate costume designer
Eike Neumann	....	tailor
Kirsten Pichotka	....	wardrobe assistant
Patricia Puisy	....	wardrobe assistant
Antje Rohrberg	....	wardrobe assistant
Magdalena Rutkiewicz	....	wardrobe assistant
Anna Rychlik	....	wardrobe assistant
Malgorzata Stefaniak	....	costume supervisor
Tina Strauss	....	costume supervisor
Vanessa von Klier	....	wardrobe assistant (as Vanessa Von Klier)
Kit Watson	....	tailor
Adrianna Wozniak	....	dresser: Mr. Brody

Editorial Department
Mélanie Braux	....	assistant editor (as Melanie Braux)
Lionel Cassan	....	assistant editor
Christian Dutac	....	grader: L.T.C.
Eric Martin	....	digital technician: Scanlab
Stephane Martini	....	digital grader: Scanlab
Marcel Mazoyer	....	grader: L.T.C.
Margot Meynier	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Nancy Allen	....	assistant music editor
Tadeusz Boniecki	....	orchestra contractor
Marcus Herzog	....	music mixer: Chopin music
Marcus Herzog	....	music recordist: Chopin music
Marcus Herzog	....	music supervisor: Chopin music
Grazyna Kozlowska	....	music coordinator
Dirk Lachmann	....	music recording assistant
Anne-Laure Lermyte	....	music spotter
Janusz Olejniczak	....	musician: piano solos performed by
Rafal Paczkowski	....	music recording assistant
Suzana Peric	....	music editor
Tadeusz Strugala	....	orchestra conductor
John Timperley	....	music recordist and mixer
Hanna Wolczedska	....	musician: clarinet soloist
Zbyszek Zbrowski	....	music coordinator
Robert Zychlinski	....	music studio assistant
Wladyslaw Szpilman	....	musician: piano (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Maher Abu Mugheisib	....	driver (as Maher Abu-Mugheisib)
Piotr Bartoszkiewicz	....	driver
Tadeusz Belke	....	driver
Markus Bendler	....	action vehicles
Andrzej Bogdanski	....	driver
Jerzy Dzieciol	....	driver
Michael Fechner	....	action vehicles
Jens Forkel	....	trailer captain
Józef Frymarski	....	driver (as Jozef Frymarski)
Katja Heissig	....	driver
Axel Hübner	....	driver
Eugeniusz Jagiello	....	driver
Franciszek Jedlecki	....	driver
Stanislaw Karlikowski	....	driver
Holger Klinke	....	driver
Nils Konrad	....	driver
Tadeusz Kupiec	....	driver
Tobias Lauterberg	....	driver
Dariusz Lipka	....	driver
Inga Meissner	....	transportation coordinator
Grit Menzzer	....	driver
Konrad Orlowski	....	action vehicles
Roman Pawlik	....	driver
Jan Romanski	....	driver
Jacek Schwarz	....	driver
Ilias Uhlman	....	driver
Marcus Welsch	....	driver
Zdzislaw Wonatowski	....	driver
Józef Zapala	....	driver (as Jozef Zapala)
Enrico Taubert	....	production driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Malgosia Abramowska	....	assistant: Roman Polanski
Julie Adams	....	dialect coach
Tobias Asam	....	runner
Sylvie Balloy	....	production accountant
Urszula Baraniak	....	cashier
Sylvette Baudrot	....	script supervisor
Andrzej Besztak	....	production coordinator
Elisabeth Blavat	....	accountant
Antje Blümel	....	production assistant
Marek Brodzki	....	crowd marshall
John Brownjohn	....	dialogue: German
Ian Burlingham	....	project consultant
Aneta Cebula	....	assistant location manager
Janusz B. Czech	....	location manager (as Janusz Czech)
Isabelle Dassonville	....	assistant: Roman Polanski
Honorata Dawidowicz	....	press office
Malgorzata Dedek	....	production accountant
Jon Duncan	....	production accountant
Dirk Eickhoff	....	assistant location manager
Anja Fiedler	....	runner
Christian Fischer	....	assistant production accountant
Frank Frede	....	runner
Stefan Gieysztor	....	stand-in
Elzbieta Heleniak	....	production accountant
Katja Hoerstmann	....	assistant production coordinator (as Katja Hörstmann)
Kersten Hönicke	....	stand-in
Jan Jagielski	....	historical consultant
Holger Kettner	....	runner
Piotr Kolodziejczyk	....	assistant production coordinator
Karolina Korwin-Piotrowska	....	press office
Artur Kotowski	....	camp manager
Grazyna Kozlowska	....	location manager
Iris Kronauer	....	assistant production coordinator
Robert Kunz	....	set medic
Martina Ludwig	....	assistant: Mr. Schaper
Imogen Macnaughten	....	production secretary
Paul Meyer-Gerlt	....	production accountant
Zoie Miller	....	production secretary
Jerzy Mizak	....	set manager
Andrew Mollo	....	military consultant
Richard Moxon	....	legal advisor: Davenport Lyons
Daniela Muck	....	production assistant
Angelika Müller	....	publicist: Studio Babelsberg
Katarzyna Nawrocka	....	nurse
Felix Neunzerling	....	publicist: Studio Babelsberg
Maria Newsham	....	production secretary
Barbara Nietresta	....	production secretary
Feliks Pastusiak	....	assistant: Mr. Rywin
Andreas Pense	....	legal advisor (as Dr. Andreas Pense)
Chantal Peyrieras	....	assistant: Robert Benmussa
Eva-Maria Pilling	....	production assistant
Michael Punz	....	stand-in
Dieter Reinhold	....	production secretary
Lars Rieken	....	location manager
Detta Lenz Robinson	....	weapons
Daria Rogozinska	....	production assistant
Kathrin Rohm	....	assistant production coordinator (as Katrin Rohm)
Arkadiusz Rosczak	....	armorer
Agata Roslonska	....	assistant production accountant
Marianna Rowinska	....	runner
Miriam Rönn	....	publicist: Studio Babelsberg (as Miriam Rönn)
Gabi Scheiger	....	production coordinator (as Gabriele Scheiger)
Sebastian Schelenz	....	runner
Andreas Schuster	....	runner
Katarzyna Skrzypczewska	....	assistant: Mr. Rywin
Paul Sonderegger	....	german coach: Mr. Brody
Leszek Stafiej	....	press office
Roman Struminski	....	camp technician
Daniel Sutton	....	piano coach: Mr. Brody
Andrzej Szenajch	....	military consultant
Andrzej Tarasewicz	....	set medic
Adam Warchol	....	animal handler
Jordan Waugh	....	production assistant
Hildegard Westbeld	....	location manager
Karolina Witkowska	....	runner
Ludmila Witkowska	....	stand-in
Ada Wujek	....	runner
Anna Zenowicz	....	script supervisor
Nicole Zscherny	....	production assistant
Anne Attalla	....	coordinator: A&R (uncredited)
Valentin Dimitrov	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Roman Polanski	....	voice dubbing: Michal Zebrowski (uncredited)
Marco Schenke	....	crowd marshall (uncredited)

Thanks
Ian Burlingham	....	special thanks
Didier Duverger	....	special thanks
Jean-Patrick Flande	....	special thanks
John Hardy	....	special thanks: Matrix Film Finance Limited
Gilles Francois Renard	....	special thanks
Isabelle Terrel	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• R.P. Productions
• Heritage Films
• Studio Babelsberg
• Runteam (as Runteam Ltd.)
• Canal+ (with the participation of)
• StudioCanal (as Studio Canal +)
• Bac Films
• Canal+ Polska (as Canal + Poland)
• Telewizja Polska (TVP) (as Telewizja Polska S.A.)
• Agencja Produkcji Filmowej
• Filmboard Berlin-Brandenburg (FBB)
• FilmFernsehFonds Bayern
• Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA)
• Beverly Detroit (uncredited)
• Interscope Communications (uncredited)
• Mainstream S.A. (uncredited)

Distributors

• StudioCanal (2002) (worldwide) (all media) (international sales)
• Bac Films (2002) (France) (theatrical)
• Wild Side Vidéo (2003) (France) (DVD)
• Wild Side Vidéo (2003) (France) (VHS)
• StudioCanal (2008) (France) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• 01 Distribuzione (2002) (Italy) (theatrical)
• A-Film Distribution (2002) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Alfa Films (2003) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Cinema Mondo (2003) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Falcon (2003) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Focus Features (2002) (USA) (theatrical)
• Frenetic Films (2002) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Tobis StudioCanal (2002) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United King Films (2002) (Ireland) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (video)
• Amuse Pictures (2003) (Japan) (all media)
• Bergvik (2003) (Iceland) (all media)
• DeA Planeta Home Entertainment (2002) (Spain) (all media)
• Europa Filmes (Brazil) (DVD)
• Europa Filmes (Brazil) (VHS)
• Gateno Films (2003) (Peru) (all media)
• Impuls Home Entertainment (2003) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Panorama Distributions (2003) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• Panorama Distributions (2010) (Hong Kong) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• TVA Films (2002) (Canada) (all media)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2003) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2003) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2004) (Finland) (VHS) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2008) (2009) (Finland) (TV)

Special Effects

• Das Werk (digital visual effects & titles) (as das werk)
• MagicMove GmbH (miniature effects & motion control)
• Magicon (miniature effects & motion control)
• Sparks Filmtechnik GmbH (lighting)
• Éclair Numérique (visual effects) (as Eclair Numerique)

Other Companies

• AON/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  insurance broker (as Aon/Albert G. Ruben)
• Air France  special thanks
• Air France  transportation
• Assurances Continentales, Les  insurance broker
• Audi  special thanks
• Audio 24/25  sound editing equipment
• Audio 24/25  sound library
• Cinemontage  editing equipment
• Cinéstéréo  sound transfers (as Cine Stereo)
• Coficiné  financing company
• Davenport Lyons  legal advisors
• Filharmonia Narodowa  music performed by (as The Warsaw Philharmonic National Orchestra of Poland)
• Filminger  customs broker
• Goldcrest Post Production London  adr recording studios (as Goldcrest - London)
• Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw, The  special thanks
• Kodak  motion picture film
• Malde & Co.  auditor
• Matrix Film Finance  special thanks
• People of Warsaw, The  special thanks
• SIS TV  editing facilities
• Scanlab Saint Cloud  digital postproduction (as Scanlab)
• Sony Classical  soundtrack album available on
• Sound Design Company, The  pro tools system (uncredited)
• The Travel Company  transportation
• Theatre Kunz  costumes supplied by
• Transit Film  film archives (as Transit Film GmbH München)
• Wfdir Archiwum Filmowe Warszawa  film archives
• Witold Lutowslawski Polish Radio Studio  recorded at

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and brief strong language

Runtime:

150 min | Spain:142 min (DVD edition)

Country:

France | Poland | Germany | UK

Language:

English | German | Russian

Color:

Black and White (archive footage) | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Brazil:14 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Chile:TE | Denmark:11 | Egypt:(Banned) | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Germany:12 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIA | Ireland:15 | Netherlands:12 (re-rating) | New Zealand:R15 | Norway:15 | Peru:PT | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:15 | USA:R | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade)

Filming Locations:

Babelsberg, Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany

Company:

R.P. Productions

Trivia:

In order to connect with the feeling of loss required to play the role, Adrien Brody got rid of his apartment, sold his car, and didn't watch television.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Wladyslaw Szpilman is forced to leave his first hiding place after breaking the dishes, he has significant stubble on his face. However, when he reached Dorota's apartment in the next scene, he's clean shaven.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Dorota:[running from bombing] Mr. Szpilman?
Wladyslaw Szpilman:Hello.
Dorota:Oh, I came specially to meet you. I love your playing.
Wladyslaw Szpilman:Who are you?
Dorota:My name is Dorota. I, I'm Jurek's sister... You're bleeding.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Adrien Brody/Sean Paul & Wayne Wonder (#28.19)" (2003)

Soundtrack:

Suite No. 1 BWV 1007 for Solo Cello

An astonishing film

The Pianist is the true story of Wladyslaw Szpilman, at the time Poland's most acclaimed pianist whose life is transformed during the Nazi occupation of Warsaw beginning in 1939. The film spans several years and maps his many personal trials in addition to providing the perspectives of his family, rebel factions and sympathizers.

Brilliantly directed by Roman Polanski and starring an amazing Adrien Brody, The Pianist is bound to garner comparisons to Schindler's List, for obvious reasons. However similar the subject matter, the approach is different. While Schindler's List was filmed in a beautiful, crisp black and white that offered many incredible images, The Pianist was filmed with almost muted color. Schindler's List featured what has been argued as a complicated hero. Oskar Schindler did save many Jews, but not without battling his own materialistic demons first. The Pianist's Szpilman is a sympathetic character throughout. His plight was desperate, and the demons he fought were over his own guilt in surviving a fight that eventually turns into a primal will to live.

Polanski does not spare the viewer any grief with his film. The horrific scenes between the Nazis and the Warsaw Jews were more terrifying and horrible than any horror/suspense movie I have seen in some time, possibly ever. The humiliation and complete loss is wrenching. In several scenes, Jews are lined up in the middle of the night and subjected to either torture or death. In one case, a woman asks of a Nazi officer, "What will happen to us?" and is promptly shot point blank in the head. The camera does not flinch or subdue any of these atrocities.

A mention must be made of Brody's performance. Having only previously seen Brody in two other films, Spike Lee's "Summer of Sam" and Terrence Malick's "The Thin Red Line" (a part that was supposed to be his launch into stardom before his part was unfortunately cut drastically) I knew his potential was great. After his Oscar win, I viewed this movie with more criticism than I normally would have and he certainly did not disappoint. He transcended my expectations. His physical transformation was amazing, but more importantly, he conveyed the sorrow of this man shockingly well - in both verbal and non-verbal contexts. It will be very interesting to see what kind of opportunities this role will afford him, and the kinds of roles he will accept.

Something worth mentioning is the affect this movie had on the audience with whom I viewed this film. Normally, when a film ends, the regular hardcore filmsters like myself will stay and watch the credits in their entirety. The rest of the audience stands up and leaves, usually to the chagrin of the remaining enthusiasts. This was one of the few times I have seen a film at a theater where not one person stood to leave during the final credits. It wasn't until the house lights came up at the end did people begin to disperse. Personally, I hightailed it out of the theater the second the lights came on because not only was my face a mess from crying during the film (Tammy Faye comes to mind) but I had this overwhelming need for an emotional release, so when I reached my car I sat and wept for about five minutes. It has been years since I have watched a film that upset me to that extent. Conversely, while discussing this film with my brother, (someone who loves movies as much and has similar tastes as I do) he mentioned that while he thought the movie was excellent, he wasn't as profoundly emotionally effected as I was. After thinking about this for a couple of days, I realized the difference: The music. As a classical music enthusiast and erstwhile musician, the thought of not being able to enjoy, much less play the music you love is a tragic one. Then the emotional outpouring that comes when you return to it - there aren't words to describe how intense that is. Not having the same appreciation for this musical genre, one will be able to sympathize with the physical and emotional tribulations, but perhaps not in the musical sense.

The Pianist was truly an astonishing film. I was riveted from start to finish and so emotionally affected that I couldn't even consider writing a review until a week later. Having said that, I am filing this away with my list of movies which include Schindlers List and Philadelphia, as films that I love but cannot rewatch for a long time after due to their intensely emotional content.

--Shelly