The Pianist
- Pianist (Working title)
All titles (20)
- The Pianist (Worldwide English title)
- Der Pianist (German)
- Pianist (Working title)
- Pianista (Czech)
- Pianisten (Danish)
- El pianista (Spanish)
- Pianist (Estonian)
- Pianisti (Finnish)
- Le Pianiste (French)
- Pijanist (Croatian)
- A zongorista (Hungarian)
- Il pianista (Italian)
- Pianistas (Lithuanian)
- Pianists (Latvian)
- Pianisten (Norwegian)
- Pianista (Polish)
- O Pianista (Portuguese)
- Pianistul (Romanian)
- Pianista (Slovak)
- Pianist (Slovenian)
Feature Film | 2001-2002 | Drama | France, Germany, Poland, United Kingdom
Main data
| Director | Roman Polański |
|---|---|
| Written by | Ronald Harwood, Wladyslaw Szpilman (literary source) |
| Production | Studio Babelsberg Motion Pictures GmbH [de], Heritage Films [pl], RP Productions, Roman Polanski [fr], Runteam Ltd. [uk], Studiocanal [fr] |
| Distributor | BAC Films [fr], Focus Features [us], Studiocanal [fr], Tobis Film GmbH |
Brief synopsis
Wladyslaw Szpilman, a brilliant Jewish pianist avoids deportation, but finds himself holed up in the Warsaw Ghetto where he shares the suffering, humiliation and heroic struggle of his fellow Jews. He manages to escape and hide himself in the ruins of the city. A German officer comes to his aid and enables him to survive.
Cast
| Actor | Role name | Voice actor / SpeakerVoice actor |
|---|---|---|
| Adrien Brody | Władysław Szpilman [L] | Stephan Schwartz |
| Thomas Kretschmann | Captain Wilm Hosenfeld [L] | |
| Frank Finlay | Father [SR] | |
| Maureen Lipman | Mother [SR] | |
| Emilia Fox | Dorota [SR] | |
| Ed Stoppard | Henryk [SR] | |
| Julia Rayner | Regina [SR] | |
| Jessica Kate Meyer | Halina [SR] | |
| Joachim Paul Assböck | Schupo [SR] | |
| Nina Franoszek | Polish woman [SR] | |
| Thorsten Flach | Zig Zag [SR] | |
| Maja Remstedt | Frau auf Straße [SR] | |
| Tom Strauss | Dr. Luczak [SR] | |
| Agnieszka Justyna Valente | Jüdische Prostituierte [SR] | |
| Aufseher u.a. [SR] | Sebastian Zett | |
| Offizier Hermann [SR] | Uwe Preuss | |
| Sven Rothkirch | Stroop's Adjutant [BP] |
Crew
| Activity | Name | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Production accountant | Paul Meyer-Gerlt | |
| 1st AD | Ralph Remstedt DGA Award für 1.AD | DGA Award für 1.AD |
| 3rd AD | Oliver Schnug | |
| Crowd marshall | Marek Brodzki | |
| 3d artist | Robinson Steinke FX Animator | FX Animator |
| 3d artist | Oliver Kirchhoff FX Animator, Modeler & Compositor | FX Animator, Modeler & Compositor |
| Digital compositor / compositing artist | Michel Briegel Inferno Artist | Inferno Artist |
| Digital compositor / compositing artist | Oliver Ernesto Stueck Inferno Artist | Inferno Artist |
| Digital matte painter | Michael Hackl | |
| Director of photography | Paweł Edelman | |
| 2nd unit dop | Sönke Hansen | |
| 2nd unit dop | Volker Gläser | |
| 2nd unit dop | Patrick-D. Kaethner | |
| Motion control dop | Britta Mangold | |
| Motion control operator | Mitch Enzmann | |
| Steadicam operator | Marcus Pohlus | |
| Steadicam operator | Jörg Widmer | |
| 1st assistant camera | Julia Terjung and unit still photography | and unit still photography |
| 1st assistant camera | Andrés Lizana Prado 35mm 2nd Unit | 35mm 2nd Unit |
| 1st assistant camera | Oliver Lechner | |
| 1st assistant camera | J. Moritz Kaethner | |
| 2nd assistant camera | Anna-Maria Hora | |
| Still photographer | Julia Terjung | |
| Casting director | Celestia Fox | |
| Casting director | Heta Mantscheff Casting Germany | Casting Germany |
| Extras/bit player casting | Marco Schenke Casting Ass./crowd marshall | Casting Ass./crowd marshall |
| Costume designer | Anna B. Sheppard | |
| Costume designer | Gudrun Leyendecker 2. Kostümbild Part Berlin | 2. Kostümbild Part Berlin |
| Costumer / wardrobe | Antje Rohrberg | |
| Costumer / wardrobe | Diana Gollmer | |
| Costumer / wardrobe | Brita Hofmann Kostümpatinierarbeiten | Kostümpatinierarbeiten |
| Costumer / wardrobe | Anja Lafin | |
| Additional costumers | Kati Lafin 40er Jahre | 40er Jahre |
| Tailor | Eike Neumann | |
| Director | Roman Polański | |
| 1st AD (local system) | Zbigniew Gruz | |
| Crowd 2nd AD (local system) | David Seffer in Ausbildung Warschau/Polen | in Ausbildung Warschau/Polen |
| Trainee director's department | Tobias Asam Berlin | Berlin |
| Editor | Hervé de Luze | |
| Grip trainee | Richard Nitsche | |
| Gaffer | Albrecht Silberberger | |
| Lighting technician / electrician | Stephan Schneider first unit | first unit |
| Lighting technician / electrician | Andreas Huber [2] | |
| Additional electrician | Mark Müller | |
| Additional electrician | Jannot Borowski | |
| Makeup artist / hair stylist | Sonali Chatterjee | |
| Additional make up artist | Irmela Osswald | |
| Composer | Wojciech Kilar | |
| Producer | Alain Sarde | |
| Producer | Robert Benmussa | |
| Producer | Roman Polański | |
| Production designer | Allan Starski production designer | production designer |
| Production designer | Gabriele Wolff Set-Dec./D. Cesar f.das beste Dekor | Set-Dec./D. Cesar f.das beste Dekor |
| Assistant production designer | Anja Müller Set Designer | Set Designer |
| Assistant art director | Pierre Brayard Draughtsman | Draughtsman |
| Art department assistant | Mark Rosinski | |
| Art department assistant | Jacek Czechowski | |
| Prop master | Eckart Friz prop buyer (Germany) | prop buyer (Germany) |
| Prop master | Michael Fechner Picture Vehicle Coordinator | Picture Vehicle Coordinator |
| Prop master | Christoph Kettenring | |
| Prop master | Joey Weber Prop Master | Prop Master |
| Standby props | Peter Naguib stand by prop, historisch, 1930er und 40erJahre | stand by prop, historisch, 1930er und 40erJahre |
| Set dresser | Leon Schulz | |
| Set dresser | Matthias Hein Leitung Set-Dressing Bautruppe | Leitung Set-Dressing Bautruppe |
| Property assistant | Alexander Liebenthron | |
| Assistant stand by props | Kay Schilling | |
| Set builder | Cindy Schnitter | |
| Set builder | Helko Klünder Construction Foreman | Construction Foreman |
| Set builder | Micha Scholte Studiobau, nur teil Deutschland | Studiobau, nur teil Deutschland |
| Set builder | Wolfgang Wrede Supervisor Painter | Supervisor Painter |
| Set builder | Sebastian Hebenstreit | |
| Set builder | Tobias Schroeter Plasterer | Plasterer |
| Set builder | Paul Philipp Hübner | |
| Stand by set builder | Matthias Prange Constr. Supervisor/st.by | Constr. Supervisor/st.by |
| Scenic painter | Eddi Konkoll | |
| Scenic painter | Christian Hoffmann Schrift, Patina, Oberfl. Imit. | Schrift, Patina, Oberfl. Imit. |
| Production manager | Oliver Lüer | |
| Production coordinator | Gabriele Scheiger Deutscher Teil | Deutscher Teil |
| Assistant production manager | Mariejosephin Schneider | |
| Assistant production manager | Eva Pilling Deutscher Teil | Deutscher Teil |
| Assistant production manager | Anke Teuber für Die Nefzers - Special Effects | für Die Nefzers - Special Effects |
| Unit manager (local system) | Inga Meissner Transportation Coordinator | Transportation Coordinator |
| Location manager (local system) | Dirk Eickhoff Location Assistent | Location Assistent |
| Set manager/ floor manager | Lars Rieken & Assistent Location Manager | & Assistent Location Manager |
| Assistant transportation coordinator | Enrico Fischer | |
| Assistant transportation coordinator | René Klopfer Dienstleister Fuhrpark | Dienstleister Fuhrpark |
| Production secretary | Dieter Reinhold | |
| Production assistant | Nicole Zscherny | |
| Assistant set/floor manager | Daniela Muck | |
| Blocker | Eric von Mutius | |
| Production driver | Grit Menzzer | |
| Production driver | Tobias Lauterberg | |
| Production driver | Maher Abu Mugheisib Pers. Fahrer v. Prod. Designer | Pers. Fahrer v. Prod. Designer |
| Production driver | Marcus Welsch | |
| Production driver | Michael Höhne Aushilfs Fahrer | Aushilfs Fahrer |
| Personal driver | Axel Hübner Adrien Brody | Adrien Brody |
| Screenwriter | Ronald Harwood | |
| Literary source | Wladyslaw Szpilman | |
| Miniature supervisor | Joachim Grüninger | |
| Special effects supervisor | Alister Mazzotti | |
| Special effects supervisor | Hans Seck First Supervisor | First Supervisor |
| Special effects technician | Thomas Thiele [1] | |
| Special effects technician | Jason Oettlé | |
| Special effects technician | Adrian Lorberth | |
| Special effects technician | Jan Gwiasda | |
| Special effects technician | Zoltan Toth | |
| Model maker | Connie Oettl Modelpainter | Modelpainter |
| Stunt coordinator | Armin Sauer | |
| Stunt coordinator | Antje 'Angie' Rau | |
| Assistant stunt coordinator | Armin Sauer | |
| Stuntman/woman | Antje 'Angie' Rau | |
| Stuntman/woman | Matthias Günther Stuntrigger | Stuntrigger |
| Stuntman/woman | Stephan 'Steve' Thiede | |
| Stuntman/woman | Armin Sauer | |
| Stuntman/woman | Babette Schimanek stuntplayer | stuntplayer |
| Stuntman/woman | Heiko Kiesow | |
| Stuntman/woman | Rainer Werner | |
| Stuntman/woman | Mike Luft | |
| Stuntman/woman | Rene Schobeß Double Adrien Brody | Double Adrien Brody |
| Stuntman/woman | Oliver Fritsche StuntRigger | StuntRigger |
| Stuntman/woman | Ralf Tillmann | |
| Stuntman/woman | Thomas ' Tom ' Jester |
Production companies
| Company | Comment |
|---|---|
| Heritage Films [pl] | |
| RP Productions, Roman Polanski [fr] | |
| Runteam Ltd. [uk] | |
| Studio Babelsberg Motion Pictures GmbH [de] | |
| Studiocanal [fr] |
Distribution / Sales companies
| Company | Comment |
|---|---|
| BAC Films [fr] | |
| Focus Features [us] | |
| Studiocanal [fr] | |
| Tobis Film GmbH |
Facilities
| Department | Company | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Cameras and Utilities | CINEGATE GmbH | |
| Animals for Film | Filmtierschule Schweuneke | |
| Extras/Bit Player | Agentur Iris Müller OHG | |
| Lighting and Utilities | Balloonlight Carsten Thoms Balloonlight | Balloonlight |
| Lighting and Utilities | CINEGATE GmbH | |
| Production Services | bloc inc filmservice GmbH | |
| Production Services | Star's Dinner Express GmbH | |
| Decoration | Art Department Studio Babelsberg GmbH | |
| Decoration | Big Image Systems Deutschland GmbH backdrop(s) | backdrop(s) |
| Decoration | Unternehmen Schön Ghettofassaden, ca. 170t Material | Ghettofassaden, ca. 170t Material |
| Props | FTA Film- und Theater-Ausstattung GmbH Möbel Lampen Stoffe | Möbel Lampen Stoffe |
Awards
| Award winner | Year | Award | Category | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roman Polański | 2003 | Academy Awards [us] Best Director | Best Director | Winner |
| Roman Polański | 2003 | Academy Awards [us] Best Pictures | Best Pictures | Nominated |
| Adrien Brody | 2003 | Academy Awards [us] Best Actor in a Leading Role | Best Actor in a Leading Role | Winner |
Festivals
TV-broadcast
| Type | Country | Station | Date / Time | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Repeat | Poland | Canal+ [pl] | Saturday, 18/09/2021, 3.15 AM | CANAL+ Film |
Cinema releases and premieres
| Type | Country | Date | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theatre release | Germany | Thursday, 24/10/2002 | |
| Theatre release | France | Wednesday, 25/09/2002 | |
| Theatre release | Poland | Friday, 06/09/2002 |