In any case, apart from this, although the film had been sold abroad,
it was never sent to any more festivals.
Nor was it presented for an American Oscar,
which would have changed my life completely
because I might have decided at the age of 30, with my life still before me,
to make films in America.
Instead, what happened was that a film
which had the chance to win an award at every festival,
or so it seems today, was denied this chance.
But I didn't protest because I had a certain principle
and I think this is hugely important, it needs to be said,
that if you're making a political film,
you need to keep your distance from politics and especially from politicians.
Because if, while I'd been making films like 'Kanał' or 'Ashes and Diamonds'
I'd tried to establish some kind of political background,
I myself for my films, with someone against someone else,
I would not have survived as a film director. I would have been finished on the spot
because I would simply have been used in matters
about which I wouldn't have had the faintest idea,
I would have become the object
of some political scheming in which my engagement would have been nil, I'd have been nothing more than an object.
In view of this, I kept my distance from the Party comrades and from the authorities.
I never set eyes on Gomułka, I never spoke with him, yet it was thanks to him that I was able to make 'Kanał'
and thanks to him that I made 'Ashes and Diamonds', but he never bothered to meet me.
Thanks to him, I also made the film 'Ashes', which I'll talk about later.
In short, the only political authorities I had any communication with were the authorities handling cinematography.
Because of this and because I didn't ask for a car
which was also important so that I wouldn't be dragged into getting prizes out of this...
I did get an apartment, one room with a kitchen,
when I made 'Kanał', I got one room with a kitchen here in the neighbourhood of the studios.
It was my first, independent apartment.
But I tried not to take part in all of this
because I knew that if I was to make films to the best of my abilities,
under no circumstances
should I be participating in political life. I had to stand to one side.
I've made my film, now you carry on and do what you like.
I didn't protest that a film hadn't been sent to a festival,
I didn't protest that it hadn't been shown at this or that review;
I didn't take any interest in these things.
I had one principle which, I think, in my life at least has proved true
which was was that I always thought about the film that I was going to make, not the one that I was making.
The one I was making, when I was beginning to make it, I already knew that it was...
I'll make it the way I know how.
Perhaps the next film will be the one.