He was active in an area of documentary film-making. There are 28 films of that kind in his creative production. Nevertheless, he started his career with the psychological story entitled "Ona" ("She") in the narrative film "On, ona, oni" ("He, She, They").
He had also directed the two theater plays: 1) "Rekonstrukcja poety" ("The Reconstruction of the Poet") which refers to the antiquity thread in Zbigniew Herbert’s literary output, and 2) "Noce narodowe" ("Nights of the Nation") by Roman Brandstaetter.
His films, e.g. "Ludzie z ziemi czerwonej" ("People of Red Land"), "Krajobraz z gęsią" ("Landscape with Goose"), "Boże, zbaw Rosję" ("God Save Russia") had been discussed and commented by domestic and foreign mass media.
He was awarded at some international film festivals. In 1986 he won a "Silver Dancer" prize at the Huesca (Spain) International Film Festival for a documentary film ‘’Ludzie z ziemi czerwonej’’ ("People of Red Land").[3] Then in 1989 he won a "Special Reward", at the International Włodzimierz Puchalski Film Festival in Łódź – for "Krajobraz z gęsią" ("Landscape with Goose"). He took part in the TV programme in series "Mistrzowie dokumentu" ("Document Masters") as well, which was transmitted by "Kino Polska" TV channel.[4][5]
Filmography
Year
Title
Function
Genre
Notes
2005
Ochrona srodowiska. Wyzwania dla Polski u progu XXI wieku ("Environmental protection – Challenges for Poland at the Start of the 21st Century")
Screenplay, director
Documentary TV series
Cooperation in Screenplay: Janusz Radziejowski, Cinematographer: Jacek Knopp
2001
Impuls Amerykański. Rzecz o Henryku Sienkiewiczu ("American Incentive – Story on Henryk Sienkiewicz")
Diploma of "Silver Dancer" prize at the Huesca, (Spain), International Film Festival for a documentary film "Ludzie z ziemi czerwonej" ("People of Red Land").[10]Diploma of "Special Reward", at the International Włodzimierz Puchalski Film Festival in Łódź – for "Krajobraz z gęsią" ("Landscape with Goose").[11][12]
1986
He was awarded at a few international film festivals. Namely, in 1986 he won a "Silver Dancer" prize at the Huesca (Spain) International Film Festival for a documentary film "Ludzie z ziemi czerwonej" ("People of Red Land").[13]
1989
He won a "Special Reward", at the International Włodzimierz Puchalski Film Festival in Łódź – for "Krajobraz z gęsią" ("Landscape with Goose").
^Agnieszka Kwiecień in her comment concerning the film "American Incentive – Story on Henryk Sienkiewicz" wrote in 2001: "It was An American episode, that Włodzimierz Szpak selected out of the nobelist biografy. It appears, that a short period of a few years (1876–1878) spent in America, had a crucial impact on Henryk Sienkiewicz creative power" [...]. (Source: "Rzeczpospolita" Daily, supplement "Tele 35" 2001, April, the 13–19th).
^In extensive review in "Rzeczpospolita" (1991, January, the 1st) – Jolanta Wołoszańska wrote: "Włodzimierz Szpak documentary film: "God Save Russia" – story of last tsar and his family – is first in Poland and probably in the world – film attempting to reconstruct and to explain a gloomy circumstances which took place 72 years ago, raising, till now, such a great attention and controversies." ... The "Vod" service internet site contains another comment to the film: "TsarNicholas II of Russia and his next of kin murder was a greatest crime perpetrated on dynastic family ever. Włodzimierz Szpak film in a subtle but unusually honest manner shows the last months of Nicholas II, his wife, children and relatives till the day of execution at Yekaterinburg in July 1918. It's an impressive evidence of history." (See: https://vod.pl/filmy-dokumentalne/boze-zbaw-rosje-online-za-darmo/ydmx43y [Acc: 28 August 2020]); A short discussion of that film can be found also in "Polityka", 1991, No 25 (1781), June the 22nd
