Andrzej Wajda’s portrayal of grim reality opened my eyes to the power of cinema

A scene from Kanał, the second film in Andrzej Wajda’s war trilogy. ‘The film opened my eyes to what film could be, and how it could show the world as it really is, not just a fantasy adventure,’ writes Tony Fletcher. Photograph: Allstar/KINGSLEY-INT.

I was especially saddened to hear of the death of the great Polish director Andrzej Wajda (Obituary, 11 October; Editorial, 11 October).

As a teenager, I had pretty typical young tastes in film – cowboys, space, war etc. Then one night, for reasons that escape me, I stayed up to watch Kanał, the second film of Wajda’s war trilogy, shown on the BBC in the days when it still showed such things.

To say I was blown away is an understatement. The film opened my eyes to what film could be, and how it could show the world as it really is, not just a fantasy adventure.

So thank you, Andrzej, for introducing me to a world of film that has stayed with me to this day.
Tony Fletcher
Neath, West Glamorgan

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