A Lesson in Polish Cinema, as the title suggests, is a feature-length documentary in which Andrzej Wajda, the world-renowned film director, talks about the development of Polish cinema in postwar Poland. Opening with an on-the-set footage of Ashes and Diamonds, one of Wajda’s major works which has brought him international fame, the film is focusing on Polish film industry which was to be rebuilt during the harsh times after World War II and a group of filmmakers known as Polish film school who were active in the middle of the process. After surviving the war, several Polish directors wanted to make different films from those of pre-war era led by producers, cinema run by film directors. Some of them laid foundation for National Film School in Łódź which was established in 1948, which helped young directors not only to learn from experienced ones but also to encounter artistic films from contemporary Europe, including, Italian neo-realism works. Inspired by these experiences and with the support of KADR, one of the film production units established in mid-1950s, young directors began to make their own kind of films. Wajda, who made Kanal, Andrzej Munk, Wojciech Has and Jerzy Kawalerowicz, who was the head of KADR, became the leading directors of Polish film school, portraying the complex reality of war-torn Polish society with criticism and irony to attract international attention. The structure of this documentary juxtaposing Wajda’s interview footage, excerpts of newsreels and major works of Polish film school may seem very simple, but the master’s lesson in filmmaking that has developed new aesthetics even under the harsh censorship of the 1950s provides a great insight on the power of Polish cinema that has carried on to Roman Polański, Krzysztof Kieślowski and more. (HWANG Hei-rim)