When the Lumiere brothers introduced the motion picture in 1895, Poland was a divided and suffering nation - yet Polish artists found their way into the new world of cinema. Polish pioneer Boleslaw Matuszewski created his first documentary films in 1896, and Poland's first movie house was established in 1908. Despite war and repression, Polish cinema continued to grow and to reach for artistic heights. The twentieth century closed with new challenges, but a new generation of Polish filmmakers stands ready to meet them. Here is a complete history of the Polish cinema through the end of the twentieth century, with special attention to political and economic contexts. Each chapter includes discussions of important directors and films in a given period. (Yiddish - language films, which were made primarily in Poland, are included.) Unique reference material includes a filmography providing cast and crew information for more than 500 Polish films; information about the translation of titles; and a list of all Polish films approved, rejected, or conditionally approved by the New York State Department of Education from 1922 through 1965, during which time the Department exercised virtual censorship for the whole country. This book features photographs that offer a look at hard-to-find Polish films, and an index provides quick access to names and titles.