Marcel Łoziński, the Oscar-nominated Polish documentary filmmaker passed away on August 20, 2025 at the age of 85. He is known for his Oscar-nominated documentary 89 mm from Europe.
Early in his career, Łoziński worked with Polish director Andrzej Wajda and for the Warsaw Documentary Film Studio. He was reportedly expelled from the studio by the Minister of Culture in 1980 after two of his films were censored, but was later able to return.
His early films, such as Wizyta, Zderzenie czołowe, Próba mikrofonu, and Egzamin dojrzałości, challenged the prevailing forms of socialist-era documentary by blending directness with creative provocation
His breakthrough came with 89 mm from Europe (1993), a 12-minute documentary on the widening gap between Eastern and Western Europe (literally symbolized by the 89 mm rail gauge difference), which earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Short.
He remained active in filmmaking, releasing Pamiętam (2001), Tonia and Her Children (Tonia i jej dzieci) (2010), and his final film Father and Son on a Journey (Ojciec i syn w podróży) in 2013.
Beyond filmmaking, Łoziński was a dedicated educator – he taught at FEMIS in Paris and at the Polish Culture Institute at Warsaw University, and for years led the documentary program at the Andrzej Wajda Master School of Film Directing.
Marcel Łoziński is survived by his sons – Paweł Łoziński (a noted documentary director), Mikołaj Łoziński (writer and photographer), and Tomasz Łoziński.
Krakow Film Festival released a statement, saying,
A Legend, Master, and Our Friend. Marcel Łoziński Has Passed Away
Marcel Łoziński died at the age of 85. A legend of cinema, master of documentary film, mentor to successive generations, and above all, a great friend of the Krakow Film Festival.
With the Krakow Film Festival, he was connected not only as a winner of numerous awards but also as a key figure co-shaping its program and artistic profile. “Head-On Collision” received the Golden Hobby-Horses in 1976, “Microphone Test” and “Graduation Exam” won Bronze Hobby-Horses in 1981, and “Anything Can Happen” triumphed in 1995, receiving the Dragon of Dragons Award and the FIPRESCI award. The festival also recognized his later films: “Tonia and Her Children” received the Golden Lajkonik for best film in 2011, and for “Father and Son on a Journey,” Łoziński won the Golden Horn for best director in 2013.
Marcel Łoziński was a long-standing member of the Program Council of the Krakow Film Foundation, co-responsible for shaping one of the world’s most important film festivals. In this role, he actively participated in discussions about the event’s future, sharing his vast experience and knowledge of documentary cinema. A special distinction was the award of the prestigious Dragon of Dragons in 2016 – the highest honor of the Krakow Film Festival for his lifetime achievement and contribution to the development of world cinematography in documentary film. Krakow became for him not only a place of triumphs but also a place where he could meet friends and the entire documentary family. He felt at home with us.
Marcel, we thank you for all those years together. For your support and motivation, for your constant presence.
We already miss you tremendously.
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