Antoni Wisnowski

Wisnowski in 2011

Antoni Pietro Wisnowski (born 21 June, 1935) is a Brunanter director and cinematographer of Polish and Barzuna origins. One of the most prolific filmmakers of Brunanter cinema, Wisnowski has directed more than thirty films, chiefly in the action, spy and science fiction genre.

Three movies by Wisnowski have been nominated for the Barker Award for Best Film at the Rosetown Film Festival (Trust Nobody - 1981, My Last Bullet - 1988, Boisterous Nights - 1999), winning this award twice for all three of them. Trust Nobody and My Last Bullet also earned Wisnowski the Barker Award for Best Director. Other significant movies of his include The Fifth Column (1961), The Escape (1977) and Fog in the Streets (1980).

Wisnowski is credited with fostering the careers of or outright discovering Dorothy Major, Robert Steiner, Gregory Hume and Sara Bernès.

Family and early years

Wisnowski was born in Koningstad, the son of Roman Wisnowski, a mailman, and his wife, Beatriu. His father was a Polish economic immigrant who came to Brunant in 1930, while his mother was Brezondian. Wisnowski has two younger sisters, Agnieszka/Agnes (1936) and Teresa (1938), the well-known professor of RUK.

Wisnowski was a rather indiscipline child, often going to the cinema instead of studying. He didn't enter any college or University, preferring to become the assistant of a watchmaker in the Arabian Quarter. According to later interviews, Wisnowski was influenced by many different film figures, most notably Marlon Brando, Alfred Hitchcock, John Barker and J.J. Morris.

Career

Wisnowski started filming amateur short movies at the age of 19, including one stop-motion animation. In 1959, he directed Electric Theseus and Dust, two science fiction short films; both were shown at the Rosetown Film Festival, drawing much attention on Wisnowski. His first feature film came in 1961, with the action movie The Fifth Column. Wisnowski was originally director's assistant to J.J. Morris, but when Morris fell ill just after the start of filming, Wisnowski was given his job.

Wisnowski at the 2010 RFF

Wisnowski's next films were less celebrated, with the exception of the quite popular crime film The English Parallel (1967). Wisnowski's bleak style crystallized during the early '70s, with films like Moonlight (1970) and Hidden Wound (1972). Where the Sun Never Dawns (1970) is known as the last good film of Adrian Coleman. The Trigger (1974) was praised and considered the first major movie of Robert Steiner.

In 1977, Wisnowski directed the action film The Escape; it was Wisnowski's real breakthrough and earned Alexander Neyt his second Barker Award for Best Actor. Three years later, Fog in the Streets won Wisnowski his first nomination for the Barker Award for Best Director.

Nevertheless, the prize came in 1981, with the film Trust Nobody, one of the greatest spy films of Brunater cinema. His subsequent movies, including Bulletproof (1984) and Don't Forget the Sergeant (1985), couldn't reprise the success of Trust Nobody, even though are counted among his finest works. In 1988, he directed My Last Bullet, which won three awards at the Rosetown Film Festival and is Wisnowski's highest grossing film.

During the '90s, Wisnowski released several significant films, most notably Blondie (1991) and I Lost My Crown! (1996). The 20th century closed with his most important science fiction film, Boisterous Nights. This very movie marked the end of Wisnowski's directorial career and the beginning of Sara Bernès'. Since 2002, Wisnowski teaches Film and New Media at the El-Reis Academy of the Arts.

Personal life

Wisnowski married Renate Vreugdenhil in 1960. They had one son, Michael (1962), and a daughter, Beatrix (1965). Michael is a former basketball player, who had played for Alexandria Koningstad B.C., Brunantstad Eagles and Cape Cross Cardinals. Renate's death in 1991 by stomach cancer, deeply affected Wisnowsk; he isolated himself to his cottage in Berganz and nearly became alcoholic. However, he returned to the cinema, with help from his children and his sisters.

Wisnowski is known for having many interests, unrelated to his job. He loves playing chess and some of his regular opponents include fellow director Diederick Kluijskens and old friend and partner Harold Sullivan. What is more, he is an amateur entomologist, greatly inspired by Vladimir Nabokov, as well as a collector of coins from all over the world.

Filmography

Short films

Year	Title	Notes
1954	The Pistol	Film debut
1955	Down the Road	Stop-motion animation short
1957	Rage
1959	Electric Theseus	Both films were showed out of competition in the Rosetown Film Festival
	Dust

Feature films

Year	Title	Notes
1961	The Fifth Column	Feature film debut Wisnowski also had a minor role
1963	Run for Your Life
1964	Mr. O'Sullivan
	Our Man Inside
1966	Red Sun	Wisnowski's first science fiction feature film
1967	The English Parallel
1969	The Broken Blade
1970	Where the Sun Never Dawns	Also co-screenwriter
	Moonlight
1972	Hidden Wound
1974	The Trigger	The film was shown out of competition in the Rosetown Film Festival
1975	A Murder at the Town Square
1977	Treason	Won - Barker Award for Best Actor (Alexander Neyt)
1978	Into the Black
1980	Fog in the Streets	Nominated - Barker Award for Best Director
1981	Trust Nobody	Won - Barker Award for Best Film Won - Barker Award for Best Director
1983	The Informant	Nominated - Barker Award for Best Supporting Performer (Ali Salman)
1984	Bulletproof
1985	Handshake
	Don't Forget the Sergeant	Nominated - Barker Award for Best Supporting Performer (Anthony Swanson)
1986	...and Day and Night
1988	My Last Bullet	Won - Barker Award for Best Film Won - Barker Award for Best Director Won - Barker Award for Best Supporting Performer (Oliver Hewton)
1989	Planet Core
1991	Blondie	Nominated - Barker Award for Best Actor (Gregory Hume)
1994	Nothing More
1995	The Golden Code
1996	I Lost My Crown!	Action comedy Wisnowski also had a cameo appearance
1997	The Forgotten Menace
1999	Boisterous Nights	Won - Barker Award for Best Film Won - Barker Award for Best Screenplay (Horatio Kudbryn) Nominated - Barker Award for Best Director Nominated - Barker Award for Best Actress (Sara Bernès) Nominated - Golden Raven