POLISH FILM ACADEMY

He has worked – as an actor, writer, and director – on the set of nearly eighty films, which has earned him about a hundred awards and distinctions.
Theatre and film actor. Born in 1944 in Szreńsk. Associated with several theatres, including Polski Theatre in Wrocław, the Nowy Theatre and the Jaracz Theatre in Łódź, the J. Słowacki Theatre and the Stary Theatre in Krakow, the Nowy Theatre in Poznań, and the Narodowy Theatre in Warsaw.
He debuted with a small role in Znaki na drodze [Signs on the road] by Andrzej Jerzy Piotrowski. Later, he played a more significant character in Podróż do Arabii/Journey to Arabia by Antoni Krauze. In this film, he portrays Jan, an ambitious, selfish doctor. He was equally convincing as the introverted Sixtus in Pismak/The Hack by Wojciech Jerzy Has, the psychopathic, seemingly cultured Marek in Śledztwo prywatne/Private Investigation by Wojciech Wojcik, or the homosexual Łohoyski in Pożegnanie jesieni/Farewell to Autumn by Mariusz Treliński.
As a versatile actor, he has also appeared in thrillers (VIP by Machulski, Nocne graffiti/Night graffiti by Maciej Dudkiewicz, dramas (the main role in Łabędzi śpiew/Swan Song by Robert Gliński) or psychological cinema (Ucieczka z kina Wolność/Escape from the ‘Liberty’ Cinema by Wojciech Marczewski). He does not shy away from comedy (Ferdydurke Jerzy Skolimowski) and period films (Schodami w górę schodami w dół/Up the Stairs, Down the Stairs by Andrzej Domalik, or Kiedy rozum śpi/When the Minds is Asleep by Marcin Ziębiński).
Such diverse roles share a common trait – the intensity of the emotions. A deep insight into the character is brought about by thoughtful, unexaggerated means of expression. Often, it is the actor’s intense gaze. Sometimes, as in Król Ubu/Ubu King by Piotr Szulkin – a constant frenzy of movement and gestures. At other times a consistently emphasised sadness, desperation, and hope for a change communicated in every scene – as in Dzień wielkiej ryby/The Day of the Big Fish by Andrzej Barański. On another occasion: the ultimate defeat, shown by boredom, sluggishness, and resignation, as in Darmozjad Polski/Polish Sponger by Łukasz Wylężałek.
Peszek enjoys performing for TV Theatre, and has starred in a number of short films by his students.
For his roles in Pożegnanie jesieni/Farewell to Autumn and Król Ubu/Ubu King, he was nominated for the Polish “Eagle”Film Award.

Artur Majer