Cold War and Ida cinematographer to receive Toronto Film Festival’s top achievement award
Two-time Oscar nominated cinematographer Łukasz Żal is to receive a prestigious career achievement award at this year's Toronto International Film Festival.
Żal, who was the Director of Photography on Paweł Pawlikowski's 'Cold War' (2017) and 'Ida' (2014), both of which earnt him Academy Award and BAFTA nominations for cinematography, will be honoured with one of the festival’s ‘Tribute Awards’.
Żal’s other credits include work on the Oscar-nominated animated film 'Loving Vincent', and most recently the award-winning UK-Poland-US co-production 'The Zone of Interest' which won the Grand Prix at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and will compete in the main competition of this year's Toronto International Film Festival.
Known as the 'Variety Artisan Award', the gong “recognizes a distinguished creative who has excelled at their craft and made an outstanding contribution to cinema and entertainment.”
The acclaimed cinematographer’s other credits include work on the Oscar-nominated animated film 'Loving Vincent', and most recently the award-winning UK-Poland-US co-production 'The Zone of Interest' which won the Grand Prix at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and will compete in the main competition of this year's Toronto International Film Festival.
Known as the 'Variety Artisan Award', the gong “recognizes a distinguished creative who has excelled at their craft and made an outstanding contribution to cinema and entertainment.”
Jazz Tangcay, Senior Artisans Editor at Variety magazine which is involved in the awards selection process said: “Variety is honoured to be giving Łukasz Żal our annual Artisan Award at the Toronto International Film Festival…We have been fans of his work from Ida and Cold War and with his most recent film, The Zone of Interest, Łukasz continues to raise the bar for inventive and avant-garde cinematography.”
Radosław Śmigulski, director of the Polish Film Institute added: “We are excited that the two-time Oscar nominee Łukasz Żal will receive a distinction at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.
Jazz Tangcay, Senior Artisans Editor at Variety magazine which is involved in the awards selection process said: “Variety is honoured to be giving Łukasz Żal our annual Artisan Award at the Toronto International Film Festival…We have been fans of his work from Ida and Cold War and with his most recent film, The Zone of Interest, Łukasz continues to raise the bar for inventive and avant-garde cinematography.”
“We are not surprised that, not for the first time, the international film industry is recognizing the extraordinary talent and contribution of Polish filmmakers.”
Based in Poland, Żal was born in Koszalin in northwestern Poland and became interested in filmmaking after participating in a course at his high school.
Żal will be presented with his award on the 10th of September at the fifth annual TIFF Tribute Awards gala.
He subsequently went on to study photography at the prestigious Łόdź Film School and began his cinematographic career working on documentaries and short films, before moving into feature films with his work on ‘Ida’.
Previous recipients of the Variety Artisan Award have included Roger Deakins, Terence Blanchard, Ari Wegner and Hildur Guðnadóttir, whilst in other categories, Tribute Awards have been given to such famous names as Sam Mendes, Jessica Chastain, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kate Winslet and Anthony Hopkins.
Żal will be presented with his award on the 10th of September at the fifth annual TIFF Tribute Awards gala.
