Jan Jurczak (b. 1996 in Kraków, Poland)
Film director, DOP, still photographer
Jan has worked in camera departments for short and feature films and has directed personal projects. His work in film and photography has been featured by L'OBS, Liberation France, Arte, RBB, and others.
From childhood, Jan spent much of his time with his grandmother in a Polish village, because his parents were working in a hospital. At 18, he took seasonal construction jobs in Norway. When he turned 21, he began developing his photographic language with a community on the Ukrainian frontline—perhaps seeking escape. His running around ceased when he met Eleanora, whom he later married in a Polish village and moved to Berlin with in 2022. Throughout his young adult life, he has been deeply engaged in social projects, gradually transitioning from still photography to filmmaking—both co-directing projects with his wife and serving as cinematographer for people who inspire him.
Education:
German Film and Television Academy Berlin GmbH (2022-ongoing)
Institute of Creative Photography in Opava, Czech Republic (2019-2024)
Sputnik Photos Mentorship Programme (2017-2018)
Institute of Philosophy and Sociology of the Pedagogical University of Krakow, Poland (courses; 2017–2018)
Experience in Film Production and Still Photography:
2022-ongoing — The Last Summer - Director & DOP (with Eleanora Iadkouskaya), Producer: Frieder Schlaich / Filmagalerie - Documentary feature film
2025-ongoing — Little Fishes - Director & DOP (with Eleanora Iadkouskaya), Producer: Munk Studio - Short film
2025 — White Noise - DOP - DFFB short film (Dir: Marieke de Zwaan)
2025 — Manbaby - DOP - RBB short film (Dir: Flora Frisardi)
2021-2025 — Author of numerous still photography editorials documenting Ukrainians in the refugee crisis for L'OBS and Liberation France
2023 — 13 Days After Papa - Director - DFFB short film
2021 — The Dawn - Co-director (with Eleanora Iadkouskaya) - Short film
2021 — Krzyk - Lighting Technician - Feature film (Dir: Ewa Wikiel, DOP: Konstantin Minnich, awarded at SXSW festival, released in 2024)
2017-2018 — Author of the still photography project Life Goes On portraying a Ukrainian protestant church community in Donetsk Oblast, widely published and exhibited throughout Europe
Selected Exhibitions and Events:
2025 — DAE Award at Thessaloniki Pitching Forum during Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival / Greece
2024 — Award for the Best Project at Industry section of Millennium Docs Against Gravity / Poland
2024 — Bunkier Sztuki Gallery of Contemporary Art / Disappear by the Vistula exhibition / Poland
2022 — Zachęta National Gallery of Art / The Discomfort of Evening / Poland
2022 — Czwartek Gallery / Bedside / Poland
2021 — Czwartek Gallery / Somnium Soft-Core / Poland
2021 — Odesa Photo Days 2021 Main Expo / Museum of Modern Art / Odessa / Ukraine
2020 — NIGDY NIE BĘDZIESZ SZŁA SAMA | wystawa – strajk kobiet / Galeria Labirynt / Lublin / Poland
2020 — Warsaw Gallery Weekend 2020: Pandemic consequence: dreams / Galeria Serce Człowieka / Warszawa / Poland
2020 — Artinfo.pl auction for Belarus / Poland
2020 — Ostatnie takie lato / Dom Publiczny / Warszawa / Poland
2020 — Plat(t)form 2020 / Fotomuseum Winterthur / Switzerland
2019 — Talent of the Year / PIX.HOUSE Gallery / Poznań
2019 — ShowOFF Section / Krakow Photomonth / Poland
2019 — Portfolio Days & Night / Centre National de l’Audiovisue / Luxembourg
Grants and awards:
2021 — Krakow City Art Scholarship Program / laureate
2021 — How emotions and values relate to river stewardship in rural areas - Nacional Science Centre (NCN) Grant
2020 — No! For Plastic, Innovative management of plastics - the voice of various stakeholders - project financed by the Jagiellonian University, the Marshal's Office in Krakow and Krakow Scientific Conferences
2020 — Krytyka Polityczna Solidarity Program / laureate
2020 — Ian Parry Scholarship / shortlist
2019 — Konrad Pustoła Scholarship / laureate
2018 — The EPF Fujifilm/Young Talent Award 2018 / shortlist
2018 — Krzysztof Miler’s contest / finalist
2018 — Grand Press Photo 2018 / finalist
Residencies, workshops:
2020 — O demokracji. 20 lekcji z XX wieku / MOCAK, Kraków
2020 — United ISSP and Baltic Analog Lab NATURAL PHENOMENA
2019 — World Press Photo Joop Swart Masterclass / nomination
2019 — Strefa Wolnosłowa
2019 — Blowphoto Fuse residency
Selected Publications, Interviews and Features:
French:
2022 — L'OBS GUERRE EN UKRAINE:
Ils étaient enfants et ont été assassinés à Boutcha : nous avons retracé leur martyre
A Motyzhin, village ukrainien supplicié : « Sergei n’est plus. Mon cœur est calciné. Les Orques ont tiré sur la maison »
Un viol et deux exécutions : quand les « cannibales » occupaient le village de Bohdanivka
« On a dû la laver, ma chérie, je n’arrivais pas à réaliser qu’elle était morte »
« Mon Ivan avait un trou rouge, près de la poitrine »
« Ne cherchez plus, il est mort... » : en Ukraine, la tragédie de l’enfance assassinée
Dans le cortège des réfugiés ukrainiens : « Mon fils a dit : “Tu vas le plus loin à l’ouest” »
2022-23 — Liberation France
Ukraine : les mille et un visages d’un pays en guerre dans l’œil des photoreporters de Libé
En Pologne, l’exil sans fin des réfugiés ukrainiens
«Qu’ils se sentent comme à la maison»: en Pologne, une solidarité sans faille avec les Ukrainiens
Daria Tchoultsova, l’âpre exil après les geôles bélarusses
English:
2021 — 7 NEW EAST ARTISTS WORTH FOLLOWING / Contemporary Lynx
2020 — The Times
2020 — Kajet Journal Issue 4
2020 — EEP Berlin - Work in Progress / Conversation with Maya Hristova
2019 — GUP Magazine
2019 — Calvert Journal
2019 — PH Museum
2019 — FK Magazine
2019 — The Hidden Photo
2019 — EEP Berlin / conversation with Stanislav Yaketerynin
2018 — British Journal of Photography / best of 2018 by Rafal Milach
2018 — Fresh From Poland / interview by Milena Soporowska
German:
2020 — Kwerfeldein -Neue Positionen in der polnischen Fotografie
Polish:
2020 — Magazyn Szum / Rozmowa z galerią Nagą
2020 — Krytyka Polityczna/ Ptaki Polski
2020 — Miej Miejsca / Skutki Pandemii: Sny
2020 — Ostatnie Takie Lato link1, link2, link3
2020 — Nowy Teatr / Grupa Warszawska
2020 — MSN Home Office / Nic nowego
2020 — Zwykłe Życie / Pracując, wpadam w trans
2020 — Radio RDC / Popołudnie RDC: wystawa „Gatunek: brat. Jak unicestwić?”
2020 — Wiza-Vis Journal
2020 — MOCAK
2019 — TVP1 / Magazyn Ekspresu Reporterów
2019 — Gazeta Wyborcza
2019 — Kultura u Podstaw / rozmowa z Michałem Sitą
2019 — Przekrój / Recenzja Miesiąca Fotografii w Krakowie
2019 — Trójka / Teren Kultura / Rozmowa z Agnieszką Obszańską
2018 — Radio Kraków / rozmowa z Anną Piekarczyk i Grzegorzem Barnasikiem
2018 — RMF FM / rozmowa z Grzegorzem Jasińskim
2018 — Dziennik Polski / rozmowa z Katarzyną Rodacką
2018 — Fotopolis
Russian:
