Animator, visual artist, director and screenwriter - Józef Ćwiertnia - passed away at the age of 85. He was a co-creator of Poland's legendary cartoon characters: piebald terrier Reksio, and brothers Bolek and Lolek. The Animated Film Studio in Bielsko-Biała - for which the artist had worked for many years - informed about his death on social media. "Our heart's been broken today," the studio wrote.
Józef Ćwiertnia was born on December 20, 1936, in Bulowice. A graduate the Faculty of Sculpture at the Academy of Fine Art in Warsaw, his debut came in 1970 when he wrote the script and directed the cartoon series "Bolek and Lolek travel the world". He also co-created many episodes of another famous Polish cartoon about the adventures of Reksio, a couragous piebald terrier. Ćwiertnia's last directorial work was an animated parody of pirate movies titled "Captain Kliper's travels".
The artist died on Sunday. "A very special person for the studio passed away on October 16 - the exceptional Józef Ćwiertnia," The Animated Film Studio in Bielsko-Biała said on Facebook.
The memorial service has been scheduled for Thursday, October 20, in the Roman Catholic Church of Divine Providence in Jaworze.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: Studio Filmów Rysunkowych