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Born in the northern Polish town of Bialystok, Izabella Scorupco moved to Sweden with her mother as a young child. She studied drama and music and, at 17, was discovered by a Swedish film director who cast her in the movie Ingen kan älska som vi (1988), which made her a local teen idol. She then became a successful model in Sweden and throughout Europe, where she made good use of her fluency in four languages.

In 1989, Scorupco displayed another facet of her talents, launching her career as a pop singer with her first single, Substitute. The single and subsequent album, IZA, both went gold, and she followed with another hit single, Shame, Shame, which she recorded in 1991. Returning to acting in 1994, she immediately won the lead role in the Swedish film The Tears of Saint Peter (1995). Scorupco stars as a woman who lives her life as a man in the medieval drama, which was released in August 1995.

Shortly after Izabella received international attention after landing the leading female role in the Bond movie "Goldeneye" starring against Pierce Brosnan. In 2000 she played one of the adventurers in "Vertical limit" and went on to the lead female in the science-fantasy movie "Reign of fire" against Matthew Mc Conaughey and Christian Bale. In 2004 Izabella acted against fellow Swede Stellan Skarsgård in the Renny Harlin film "The Exorcist- the beginning". After a couple of roles in American TV-series, Izabella decided to work on the Scandinavian market again, first in the crime/thriller story "Solstrom" against Michael Persbrandt and and then onto the drama "Guardian angel", a heartbreaking story opposite Michael Nyqvist. Izabella tried a whole different genre in 2014 when she starred the in the hit comedy movie "Micke and Veronica". Izabella resides in Los Angeles with her two teenage kids and three dogs.

Magdalena Kolesnik was born on 27 February 1990 in Bialystok, Podlaskie, Poland. She is an actress, known for Sweat (2020), Other People (2021) and Raven (2018).

Dziga Vertov was born on 2 January 1896 in Bialystok, Grodno Governorate, Russian Empire [now Podlaskie, Poland]. He was a director and writer, known for Man with a Movie Camera (1929), Three Songs About Lenin (1934) and The Sixth Part of the World (1926). He was married to Elizaveta Svilova. He died on 12 February 1954 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia].

Tomasz Baginski was born on 10 January 1976 in Bialystok, Podlaskie, Poland. He is a producer and director, known for Fallen Art (2004), The Cathedral (2002) and The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf (2021).

Boris Kaufman, the Oscar-winning cinematographer who shot Jean Vigo's oeuvre and helped introduce a neo-realistic style into American films, was born on August 24, 1897, in Bialystok, Poland, then part of the Russian Empire. The youngest son of librarians, the Soviet directors Denis Kaufman (a.k.a. Dziga Vertov, meaning "Spinning Top") and Mikhail Kaufman were his older brothers. Dziga Vertov was one of the great innovators in Soviet cinema, the father of the agit-prop film, who directed Man with a Movie Camera (1929), and his brother Boris imitated his beloved camera tricks when he shot the documentary À Propos de Nice (1930) for Vigo.

The Kaufmans' parents decided to move to Moscow at the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, and Denis went to school in St. Petersburg. In 1917, Russia experienced two revolutions, one which overthrew the Czar and the later, the "October" Revolution, which overthrew the bourgeois democracy and established the Bolshevik Party as the new rulers of what they called the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Denis and his brother Mikhail were enamored of the October Revolution and volunteered their services as filmmakersto the new socialist state.

During the revolutionary period, Kaufman's parents moved back to Poland, which after World War I and the Treaty of Versailles, became independent from the Soviet Union. They took along Boris, who was much younger than his brothers. Poland and the Soviet Union eventually fought a border war, and the young Kaufman's parents sent him to Paris to be educated. Their son Denis, now Dziga Vertov, whose new name connoted the speed of the new medium and of his new life as a revolutionary artist, as well as the revolutions of a film reel, become a cinema philosopher as well as director. Dziga Vertov issued manifestos calling for filmmakers to take a formative role in shaping the new socialist order, replacing "dream films" with movies articulating "Soviet actuality."

Boris Kaufman, who eventually emigrated to France in 1927, later credited his brother Mikhail with his education as a cameraman. "Mikhail taught me cinematography by mail," he told Columbia University Professor Erik Barnouw.

After the Kaufman brothers' parents died, Mikhail had taken on a paternal responsibility for Boris, writing him regularly, and informing him about his film work. Though the brothers never met again after 1917, they did stay in touch via the mails throughout their lives. Boris viewed his brother's films in Paris and was drawn to similar work with Jean Vigo.

A photographer himself, Vigo had acquired a movie camera in order to make films, but he couldn't master it. Vigo had the great luck of meeting and collaborating with Kaufman, who was to evolve into one of the masters of black-and-white cinematography. It was Kaufman who is responsible for the wintry style of L'Atalante (1934), Vigo's sole feature film, as well as the imagery of his other filmed worked, such as Zero for Conduct (1933). As a cinematographer, Kaufman was instrumental in helping Vigo realize his vision on film. The films Kaufman shot for Vigo are both romantic and surreal, infused with a dream-like quality.

Vigo, a consumptive, died of tuberculosis in October 1934, ending their great collaboration that had started with À Propos de Nice (1930), and had continued with the documentary about the swimmer Jean Taris, Taris (1931). The latter documentary featured underwater visuals captured by Kaufman that underscored the dreamy quality of swimming, of being underwater. Vigo and Kaufman enhanced this dreaminess by utilizing slow-motion photography, to serve as correlative for the natural slowing of the body in swimming and to elucidate the glow of skin under water.

The collaborators moved on to fiction with Zero for Conduct (1933), a short film drawn from Vigo's memories of an authoritarian boarding school. The movie influenced the directors of the French New Wave, particularly François Truffaut and his The 400 Blows (1959), and was the inspiration for Lindsay Anderson's If.... (1968). The great classic "L'Atalante" (1934) finished up the collaboration, one of the greatest between a director and a cinematographer. The realization of Vigo's genius would have been unthinkable without Kaufman.

Kaufman shot Lucrezia Borgia (1935) for Abel Gance, but with the passing of Vigo, he temporarily lost his direction. He shot two shorts for the avant-garde director Dimitri Kirsanoff and was the director of photography on four films with director Léo Joannon.

After serving in the French Army during the sitzkrieg and the Battle of France, Kaufman emigrated to Canada as a war refugee. He was hired by John Grierson to be a cameraman for the National Film Board of Canada. Kaufman moved to the United States in 1942, where he eventually became a citizen. Locked out of feature work by the guild system, Kaufman supported himself shooting short subjects and documentaries before Elia Kazan chose him to shoot On the Waterfront (1954). The Kazan film, for which Kaufman won an Academy Award for cinematography, was his first American feature.

Kazan had wanted Kaufman, with his roots in the documentary, as a collaborator as he planned to inject realism on the order of the Italian neo-realists into American film. Kazan, in his autobiography "A Life" says it was his collaboration with Kaufman that taught him that cinematographers were artists in their own right. (Interestingly, being a former Russian/Soviet citizen and the brother of two prominent Soviet directors, Kuafman was under suspicion during the Cold War of communist sympathies. It was likely that his correspondence with his brother in the USSR was read by U.S. intelligence agents. His lack of career progression until Kazan picked him to shoot On the Waterfront (1954) may have been a result of anti-red paranoia. Thus, only someone like Kazan -- one of the few directors, and the most prominent filmmaker to testify as a friendly witness before the Houe Un-American Activities Committee -- having established his anti-communist credentials, could have employed Boris Kaufman during the height of the post-World War II Red Scare. And, of course, the film Kaufman shot for Kazan is a not-so-thinly veiled anti-communist apologia for informing.)

Kaufman also photographed Baby Doll (1956) (for which he received a second Oscar nomination) in B+W and Splendor in the Grass (1961) in color for Kazan. He was the director of photography on Sidney Lumet's first film, 12 Angry Men (1957), and he also shot The Fugitive Kind (1960), Long Day's Journey Into Night (1962) and the gritty The Pawnbroker (1964) for Lumet, all in B+W.

Interestingly, Kaufman shot the landmark nudist film Garden of Eden (1954), which led to a U.S. Supreme Court decision (Excelsior Pictures Corp. v. Regents of University of New York State), in which the majority held that the film was not obscene or indecent, and that nudity was not itself obscene. A decade later, he shot Nobel Prize-winning author Samuel Beckett's sole foray into film, Film (1965), which was directed by Alan Schneider from Beckett's screenplay. These two movies are testimonials to his adventuresome and iconoclastic spirit, rooted in the experimental cinema.

Boris Kaufman retired in 1970, after shooting for Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon (1970) for Otto Preminger. He died on June 24, 1980, in New York, New York.

Bartosz Bielenia was born in 1992 in Bialystok, Podlaskie, Poland. He is an actor, known for Corpus Christi (2019), The High Frontier (2016) and Scarborn (2023).

Adam Woronowicz is a Polish actor who completed his studies at the Aleksander Zelwerowicz Theatre Academy in Warsaw in 1997. He has performed in various Warsaw theaters, including the Rozmaitosci Theatre (1997-2001) and the Powszechny Theatre (2001-2009). Since 2009, he has been associated with Rozmaitosci Theatre in Warsaw. He is known for his roles in the movie The Christening (2010) and the TV series Diagnoza (2017).

Anna Romantowska was born on 16 May 1950 in Bialystok, Podlaskie, Poland. She is an actress, known for Interrogation (1989), Statysci (2006) and Dzieci i ryby (1997).

Agnieshka Wnorowska was born in Bialystok, Podlaskie, Poland. She is known for Death Race (2008), The Voyeurs (2021) and Long Shot (2019).

Konrad J. Taylor (born January 24, 1997) is a Polish model, actor, singer, songwriter, dancer, and choreographer. From a young age, Taylor exhibited a keen interest in the arts, which later became the foundation of his diverse career. Seeking broader horizons and international exposure, he moved from Poland to Belgium, where he pursued a master's degree in economics and business management. After completing his bachelor's degree at UCL, Taylor began his career as a model, working in major European fashion hubs. His versatility and charismatic presence on the runway made him a favorite among designers and photographers. Taylor has worked with renowned Vogue photographers such as Attila Kiss, further solidifying his reputation in the fashion industry. Expanding his reach, Konrad J. Taylor became a prominent influencer with over 250,000 followers combined across his social media platforms. He creates humorous and entertaining videos on his YouTube channel, TikTok, and Instagram, inspiring people worldwide with his travels and unique content. Taylor ventured into the music industry, releasing two singles, "Boss Up" (2021) and "Go Get It" (2021). These tracks showcase his writing and rapping skills. His lyrical prowess and energetic performances have earned him a spot in the rap scene. He has appeared in numerous music videos, most notably in Stromae's "Fils De Joie" (2022), further highlighting his dynamic range as a dancer in the entertainment industry. Taylor has made notable contributions to the film industry with his roles in the critically acclaimed productions "The Pod Generation" (2023) and "Through The Night" (2023). Taylor's acting career includes notable roles in several TV shows across the globe. He appeared on TVN's "Top Model" (2022), showcasing his modeling skills and on-screen charisma. The following year, he starred in the popular Netflix series "Ganglands" (2023). Additionally, he was featured in RTL TVI's game show "Septante Et Un" (2023) and France 2's talk show "Ça Commence Aujourd'hui" (2024), showcasing his versatility as an actor, dancer, and media personality while broadening his presence on international television. Konrad J. Taylor's career and engaging personality have led to various international press interviews across diverse media outlets worldwide, including NRJ, RTS, RTBF, SPIT, Melty, Tarmac, Vews, The EMA Talk Show, The Gossip Show, Gentside, and Bound. These interviews highlight Taylor's career, achievements, and the impact he has on his audience and the entertainment industry.

Television - 2024 : Ça Commence Aujourd'hui (France 2). 2023 : Septante Et Un (RTL TVI). 2023 : Ganglands (Netflix). 2022 : Poland's Next Top Model (TVN).

Filmography - 2023 : Through The Night. 2023 : The Pod Generation.

Music Videos - 2022 : Stromae - Fils De Joie.

Discography - 2021 : Go Get It. 2021 : Boss Up (feat. Femme Ébène).

Media Appearances - 2024 : Talk Show (EMA). 2024 : Christmas Game (SPIT). 2024 : Mike Sur NRJ (NRJ). 2024 : Ils Répondent Aux Haters (Vews). 2024 : Une Histoire T'as Peur (Gentside). 2024 : Le Point J (RTS). 2024 : Tu Mens?! (Melty). 2023 : Confession (Tarmac). 2022 : Sex'n'Sun (RTBF). 2020 : Tu Préfères?! (The Gossip Show).

Izabela Dabrowska was born on 22 August 1966 in Bialystok, Podlaskie, Poland. She is an actress, known for Ida (2013), The Woods (2020) and Show (2003).

Tomasz Oswiecinski was born on 6 January 1973 in Bialystok, Podlaskie, Poland. He is an actor, known for Botoks (2017), The Plagues of Breslau (2018) and Sluzby specjalne (2014).

Erwin Splettstößer was born on 4 October 1906 in Wysoki Stoczek, Bialystok, Poland. He was an actor, known for Farewell (1930) and People on Sunday (1930). He died on 2 February 1932 in Berlin, Germany.

Hanna Koczewska was born on 23 February 1996 in Bialystok, Podlaskie, Poland. She is an actress, known for Soulcatcher (2023), Wrooklyn Zoo (2024) and Wheel of Love (2023).

Kamil Dabrowski was born in Poland but raised in Newark NJ, where he attended the original Science High School and Rutgers Newark. He moved to the United States age four and participated in church plays as a child. He has worked for many years with Ted Bardy, who Backstage has recently named best acting coach in NYC. Kam gives credit to his mentor for helping shape his career with booking roles on HBO's Da Brick pilot, opposite John Boyega of Star Wars and then later with roles on Law and Order SVU.

Mikhail Kaufman was born on 5 September 1897 in Bialystok, Poland, Russian Empire [now Bialystok, Podlaskie, Poland]. He was a cinematographer and director, known for In Spring (1929), An Unprecedented Campaign (1931) and Moskva (1927). He died on 11 March 1980 in Moscow, Russian SFSR, USSR [now Russia].

Mischa Spoliansky, the distinguished composer who was born on December 28, 1898 in Bialystok, Russia, was forced forced to flee his native Russia after the Revolution of 1905 and then his adopted Germaany after the Hitler's rise to power. His family emigrated to Germany in 1905. The product of a musical family - he was the son of an opera singer - young Mischa was a prodigy, giving his first concert at the age of 10.

After studying music, Spoliansky joined the booming theatrical and cabaret life of Weimar Berlin, writing popular musical revues and establishing a reputation as a more upbeat version of Kurt Weill. Among the notable people of the theater he worked with were the director Max Reinhardt and the actress Marlene Dietrich. Spoliansky's musical "Zwei Krawatten" was filmed in 1930. He ven appeared as the Piano Man in a film, "Nie wieder Liebe" (1931).

In 1933, he moved his family to England, where he was commissioned by film-maker Alexander Korda of London Films to write the scores of "Sanders of the River" (1935), which won the prize for Best Music at the Venice Film Fesitval, and "The Ghost Goes West" (1935). He scored over 50 movies in his 40 years as a composer in England, including the original scores for "King Solomon's Mines" (1937) and Otto Preminger's "Saint Joan" (1957).

Known for writing music that well-suited the film, Spoliansky probably wasn't more famous because he did most of his composing for comedies, whereas better-known British composers such as Benjamim Britten and William Walton typically scored more prestigious dramatic pictures. His last score was for the somber "Hitler: The Last Ten Days" (1973).

Mischa Spoliansky died on June 28, 1985 in London, England of natural causes.

Interest in the late composer is on the rise: Spoliansky's 1931 musical comedy "Send for Mr Plim" was revived at Lodon's Battersea Arts Centre in 1999, where it received critical kudos and has since been re-staged across Europe, including a production at the Covent Garden Festival in 2000 and a 2001 radio broadcast on BBC Radio 3. Spoliansky's autobiography, edited by his daughter Irmgard, was slated to be published in Germany in 2004, with an English translation set to follow.

Edward Linde-Lubaszenko was born on 23 August 1939 in Bialystok, Podlaskie, Poland. He is an actor, known for Schindler's List (1993), Lawa. Opowiesc o 'Dziadach' Adama Mickiewicza (1989) and Television Theater (1953).

Erwin Gelsey was born on 31 December 1899 in Bialystok, Poland. He was a writer, known for Swing Time (1936), The Trespasser (1947) and Muss 'em Up (1936). He was married to Lillian Ella Targan and Louise Latimer. He died on 12 December 1988 in Beverly Hills, California, USA.

Jan Bujnowski was born on 18 November 1994 in Bialystok, Podlaskie, Poland. He is an assistant director and director, known for Wehikul czasu (2018), Diabel (2022) and Krzyzówka (2019).

Kinga Debska was born on 4 September 1969 in Bialystok, Podlaskie, Poland. She is a director and writer, known for These Daughters of Mine (2015), Feast of Fire (2023) and Back Then (2021). She is married to Zbigniew Domagalski.

Monika Dryl was born on 12 October 1979 in Bialystok, Podlaskie, Poland. She is an actress, known for The Crown Witness (2007), Jasminum (2006) and Serce do walki (2019).

Tadeusz Paradowicz was born on 27 May 1956 in Bialystok, Podlaskie, Poland. He was an actor and director, known for Fenomen (2010), Powrót wabiszczura (1989) and Przylbice i kaptury (1986). He died on 28 December 2012 in Lida, Belarus.

Sebastian Chondrokostas was born on 29 June 1976 in Bialystok, Podlaskie, Poland. He is a director and assistant director, known for Klan (1997), Kopciuszek (2006) and Pensjonat Pod Róza (2004).

Josiah Zuro was born on 28 November 1888 in Bialystok, Poland, Russian Empire [now Bialystok, Podlaskie, Poland]. He was a composer, known for Pardon My Gun (1930), Gang War (1928) and The Racketeer (1929). He died on 18 October 1930 in La Jolla, California, USA.