Niedawno odszedl od nas zasluzony czlonek naszego klubu Pan Roman Harte - wieloletni producent filmowy w Polsce i w U.S.A ,ceniony konsultant i pedagog, niestrudzony propagator polskiego filmu. Ponizej zamieszczamy wspomnienie o nim autorstwa jego corki Moniki Harte.

Zarzad Klubu

Przeglad Polski - Wywiad z Januszem Kaminskim
Im Memoriam
Roman Harte 6/22/1924 – 3/29/2009

 

Roman I. Harte, a long-time international film production consultant, an accomplished film production manager and a film production educator at the prestigious American Film Institute for 20 years has died at the age of 84 at the Motion Picture Fund Hospital in Woodland Hills. Roman left a legacy of Holocaust survival, a legacy of a successful career in film production in Poland, a second successful career as a film production educator at the American Film Institute, and a third successful career as an independent film production consultant in Hollywood and throughout Europe.

Roman was born in the town of Rzeszów in south-eastern Poland and was the youngest of four. His father had a successful livestock business, raising horses for the local nobility and Polish Cavalry in the 20's and 30's, prior to outbreak of War World II, his mother was the bookkeeper. The family was well off, owning tenant farms and buildings in town. Unlike most of the Jewish families, Roman and his sisters were well educated attending private schools with affluent Polish children, the older sisters completed higher education in Leipzig, Germany. Roman’s oldest of three sisters, Lola, survived the Holocaust by moving to Israel in 1937. Her two sons, David and Itamar, are Roman’s beloved nephews and only living family. During the war, Roman endured years of hardships of Ghetto with his family. He was the only one to climb over the ghetto walls to bring food. In 1942 he watched his entire family be loaded onto a transport train and be taken away to Bełżec death camp. The Nazi soldiers deliberately separated Roman from his family in lines at Sammelplatz when Nazis separated people to be deported from people they retained for work as prisoners. Left alone as a teenager he escaped from the ghetto and sought out help from a friend of his mother’s who lived outside of the ghetto and was not Jewish. She arranged for Roman to join and hide out with the underground fighters. But he was too young and too conspicuous, some in the underground felt not safe with Roman in their group. His friends among the compatriots were able to get falsified documents of a polish national, allowing Roman to change his identity to a non-Jew using the name of Bronisław Krupa. When rounded up by the Nazis with many other young polish men, he was sent with the group as slave laborers to farms in the area of Innsbruck, Austria. He landed in the village of Embach near Zell-am-Zee. There most of the Poles were treated like slaves, their farmers had them living with barn animals thru Alpine winters and gave them for food kitchen scraps saved for the livestock. But Roman, being educated and fluent in German, and being skilled with livestock and managing a farm, was able to befriend the farmer and his family, gained their trust and respect to the point the farmer took him into the house and had him live and work with the family same as one of his sons. Thus Roman was able to survive the second part of the WWII and the remainder of Holocaust after most of the Jewish population of his hometown Rzeszów had perished. At war’s end, he returned to Poland only to find none of his family had survived.

After the war ended, Roman finished his education in Poland and in 1951 was fortunate to join the Polish Film Academy in Lódz. It was in Lódz that he met his wife Danielle and they married in January of 1954. His son Joseph was born within the year, daughter Monika arrived in 1957. That was a pivotal year for Roman, he completed his film studies with a Master’s Degree. In that same year, Roman finished work as producer on film “Dom” (“House”) that won the Grand Prix prize at the First International Experimental Film Festival in Brussels. This was the first Polish motion picture to win an international film award. Over the 20-years in Poland, he became an accomplished film producer and worked with the best directing talents in Poland, such as Roman Polanski, Andrzej Wajda, Ewa & Czesław Petelski, Jerzy Kawalerowicz, Gustaw Holoubek, and in Czechoslovakia, Roman worked with Jan Kadar, notably on “Shop on the Main Street” that in 1965 won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language film. Prior to "Shop", Roman worked on Roman Polanski's “Knife in the Water” that was entered for the 1960 Foreign Picture Oscar nomination for his long-time friend and classmate from the Łódz Film School. But that was not the last of he nods from the Oscars for either Roman.

Roman Harte's dream career and life came to a crashing end in 1968. Following the outbreak of the 1967 Arab-Israeli conflict and fueled by Moscow-fed communist propaganda, the political and social environment in Poland became acutely anti-Semitic. Roman and his wife Danielle made the most difficult decision of their life, they packed up their household into 13 suitcases and left for United States, first landing in Vienna. At that time, the city of Vienna was deluged not only with émigrés from Poland, but also from Czechoslovakia. On Sunday, August 19, 1968, the day the family was to leave Poland on the Chopin Express train to Vienna that stopped in Prague and Bratislava, the Russian tanks rolled into Czechoslovakia’s major cities to curtail the emerging freedoms to restore (communist) order. For 10 days the borders and communications were closed, no trains or airplanes crossed the invaded country, Roman and the family sat on the 13 suitcases, waiting for the first train to be allowed thru. Finally arriving in Vienna, Roman found a number of his friends from Barandov Film Studios fleeing the Russian invasion, notably Jan Kadar among them. Finally by December most people were leaving for the States, Kadar went to New York, Roman came directly to Los Angeles.

The first several years living in the shadow of Hollywood were very difficult for Roman. Language barrier was difficult to bridge, cultural barriers were even greater, the opportunities were slim to none to continue his career in film. Initially there were vague plans to work with Polanski who had by 1698 established himself as a talent in Hollywood, but the Manson murders changed the course of life for Polanski as he left Hollywood following the brutal, tragic loss of his wife, Sharon Tate in summer of 1969.

The opportunity for Roman Harte to re-enter the film industry emerged late in 1971, he was invited by George Stevens Jr. to a teaching position at the then newly founded American Film Institute Film School in Los Angeles. In 1972 Roman joined AFI as the Director of Film Production, working with 2nd year student producers. George Stevens was the Chairman of the Board and garnered great interest to develop the school, he was an active boss and a frequent figure on AFI campus at the historic Doheny Mansion in Trousdale Estates. He was followed by Charlton Heston and Gregory Peck who actively worked with the faculty for years. The chairmen worked closely with the faculty team of highly experienced professionals, as Directors Tony Vellani, Ján Kadár, Cinematographers Harry Wolf, George Folsey, and Director turned Professor of Film, Frank Daniel. Roman supported the highly creative team teaching with his technical and organizational aspects of film production.

During his tenure of 20 years at AFI that Roman taught film production, many of his students graduated AFI to become successful film directors and producers. He was as proud of their accomplishments as if they were his own children, he loved working with talented young people and complemented their work with his organizational and production skills, providing leadership mixed with fatherly guidance. Many of the students during Roman’s tenure were very successful, there were 5 Oscar nominations (Andre Guttfreund, Shelley Levinson, Tony Nicholas, Matthew Gross and David Massey) and 2 winners (Guttfreund and Levinson). But the list of successes didn’t stop there. Many of Roman’s students became successful professionals in Hollywood: Ted Lange, Ed Zwick, David Lynch, Andre Guttfreund, David Massey, Mel Damski, Jon Avnet, and Janusz Kaminski to name a few that became not only friends, but also worked with Roman as independent production consultant on films such as Jon Avnet’s “Uprising” in 2001. Roman continued to consult and advise to many of his students, as recently as on budgeting and pre-production planning in 2007 for Ed Zwick on “Defiance“, but due to declining health did not continue to production and on to location.

During his years at AFI, Roman also worked as a free-lance consultant, continuing after retiring. Most notably, he worked with Alan Pakula on production of “Sophie’s Choice” that received 5 Oscar and 3 Golden Globe nominations and won Meryl Streep the Oscar for Leading Actress. Following "Sophie", Roman had the opportunity to work with Producer Larry Bachman and composer and renown pianist Arthur Rubinstein on "Whose Life Is It Anyway?" starring Richard Dreyfuss and John Cassavetes. This was a second time working with Richard Dreyfuss, Roman worked with him prior on Ján Kadár’s "Lies My Father Told Me" in 1975 that won one Oscar and 2 Golden Globes nominations in 1976. Other film productions Roman consulted on were TV movie “Escape from Sobibor”, Jon Avnet’s TV feature “Uprising”, and much prior to that he worked on Ján Kadár’s feature film “Adrift”. Roman assisted local studio heads, both from television studios as well as motion picture studios, on development and location scouting throughout Europe, working with studios as Barandof, Bavaria and Film Polski.

Roman approached his work with a personal passion. His students became part of the family, his business relationships grew into close personal friendships. Roman’s home was everyone’s home and he opened the AFI film school to the Jewish and Polish communities for special screenings, special guests and fundraising events. In 1974, 1975 and 1976, Poland won Oscar nominations in the Foreign Language Film category for "The Deluge", "Land of Promise" and "Nights and Days". In each of these years Roman arranged with AFI and with Film Polski Studio to hold screenings for the Los Angeles polish community as fundraisers for the Polish Mission House (Dom Pielgrzyma) at the Vatican. The Hartes were able to send to the Vatican tens of thousands of dollars they fundraised for the Polish Mission (Dom Pielgrzyma). Additionally, working with the Polish Consulate, Roman arranged for public events for the Polish community when leading figures from Polish culture would visit Los Angeles, such as film directors Roman Polanski, Andrzej Wajda, Krzysztof Zanussi, the celebrated pianist Arthur Rubinstein and the accomplished Hollywood composer Bronislaw Kaper (composer for nearly 150 Hollywood movies, starting in the 30’s with Marx Brothers' “A Night at the Opera”, Orson Welles’ “The Stranger” and MGM's “San Francisco”, and who won an Oscar for the musical “Lili”, and through 70's worked on Quinn Martin Television productions).

Following his successes in the film industry, Roman was invited to join professional societies, first SMPTE, then ASC and following "Sophie's Choice", he received membership invitation from The Academy (AMPAS), where he often enjoyed serving on nominating committees with long-time friends Bronisław Kaper and Harry Wolfe. Roman remained an active and a valued member with these organizations, continuing after retirement.

In the early 80's Roman in a pursuit to create a life-story movie about Walesa started working with the emerging Solidarity movement. During the Polish shipyard workers’ strikes in September of 1980, Roman, with Danielle at his side, through contacts with Father Jankowski, arranged clandestine meetings with Lech Walesa to avoid the communist authorities in Poland. Through the 80's, Roman continued to work in clandestine conditions to meet with Walesa in Poland and to promote the Solidarity cause financially in US. In 1989 Roman spearheaded the effort to secure a movie development deal with Warner Brothers that paid Walesa $1M for full rights with a commitment of proceeds to Solidarity. The $1M funds were instrumental in the 1989 first free elections in Poland that gave Solidarity's landslide wins that year. Many of the Solidarity members the Hartes met and worked with over the 80's decade were elected as senators or were appointed to ministerial and cabinet posts under Walesa's Presidency.

After the communist government fell, the new government of Poland recognized Roman for his efforts to promote polish film, culture and polish causes and for his heroism with the Polish Home Army and the underground partisan units during WWII. On one of Roman's many visits to Poland, Walesa's government recognized him as a veteran by awarding the Armia Krajowa Cross, a military honor decoration awarded to soldiers and veterans of the Polish Home Army. Roman was decorated a second time at a ceremonial mass in Gdansk at the church of St. Bridget under provost Father Jankowski, the leading priest supported and advisor to Lech Walesa and the Solidarity movement. Roman was awarded the cross of the Oder of Polonia Restituta in recognition of his work over a decade with Walesa to further the Solidarity cause. This is one of Poland's highest orders and it is conferred for outstanding achievements and the Solidarity government extended conferring this order to Solidarity's most accomplished supporters. The third national recognition was conferred by the Polish Consul General in Los Angeles who presented Roman with the Partisan Cross (Krzyż Partyzancki) for his involvement with underground fighters during WWII. Under the communist government, these recognitions did not and would not have happened.

Roman was equally ardent about promoting Jewish issues relating to Holocaust. He became involved with the Nissenbaum Foundation that operates in Poland on restoration of Jewish cemeteries and synagogues and on preservation of places connected with the Holocaust, such as raising monuments at unmarked mass graves. Roman became close personal friends with Zygmunt Nissenbaum who returned from Switzerland in the 80's to branch out in Poland his successful business manufacturing kosher products and articles, most notably his Kosher Vodka. Roman was a frequent participant in establishing unmarked sites (such as mass graves in forests) and in dedications of the monuments erected by the Foundation. In 1990, along with Klara Fleishman from Israel, they lead a group of American and Israeli Rzeszow survivors and relatives of survivors to tour recently preserved sites and newly erected monuments.

Back in US, Roman was recognized by the Spielberg Foundation in a video interview about Roman's Holocaust survival story done in 1994, preserved at the USC Shoah Foundation Institute. He was again recognized as an accomplished survivor in a 1997 publication “The Triumphant Spirit” compiled by editors Renee Rockford & Nick Del Calzo, with photography by Nick Del Calzo.

One of Roman's strongest beliefs was that an education is the most valuable aspect one could gain in life, especially for young people. He firmly believed while teaching at AFI that the most important function he could fulfill was to support young people personally and morally, to support and promote his students' ideas, to assist in execution of projects the way the students had conceived so they would leave the school with confidence and a sense of personal accomplishment, a defined direction for personal career path. Roman would often tell both to his students and to his children and grandchildren to believe in themselves. He would approach his professional work with providing personal guidance, he believed this would grow confidence and promote support to often difficult and complicated film production aspects.
Roman took his job as a husband and father seriously. He worked hard to provide for his family both in Poland and in US. He was proud of his 55 years of marriage to Danielle. The one job that Roman loved the most was being a grandfather to twins Max and Annie who arrived in 1993. He made sure he was there to see the grandchildren take their first steps, watched them at school from pre-school through high school, attended all their shows and was the biggest fan at their games. He gave love and encouragement and bear hugs and never missed an opportunity to teach. He firmly believed that education was the most valuable asset they could posses and repeatedly stating that "No one can ever take away from you what's in your head". Roman was deeply loved by his entire family, he was respected by those he worked with, and he was admired by close friends. He will be deeply missed by all.

In loving dedication

Monika Harte-Sobin together with Jeff, Max & Annie Sobin and Danielle Harte

FILMOGRAPHY - US: Roman Harte, independent consultant on film production

  • "Sophie's Choice", 1982, worked with Director/Writer Alan Pakula
  • "Whose Life Is It Anyway?", 1981, worked with Producer Larry Bachman & Composer Arthur Rubinstein
  • "Lies My Father Told Me", 1975, worked with Director Ján Kadár
  • "Escape from Sobibor", 1987, TV miniseries based on true story of survivor Tomasz Bloch, worked with Alan Starsky, Production Design Director
  • "Uprising", 2001, TV miniseries, worked with Director/Writer Jon Avnet, based on true story of Warsaw Ghetto uprising.

FILMOGRAPHY - Poland: Roman Harte, Producer / Director of Production

FEATURE & TELEVISION FILMS

  • "Pokolenie" (Generation) 1956, with Director Andrzej Wajda, prize in Moscow
  • "Człowiek Na Torze" (Man on Tracks) 1956, with Director Edward Munk, awarded Crystal Globe in Kalovy Vary in 1957, Warsaw Siren - Film Critics Award in 1958
  • "Niewinni Czarodzieje" (Innocent Magicians) 1960, with Director Andrzej Wajda, honorable mention in Edinburgh, 1961
  • "Popół i Diamnet" (Ashes & Diamonds) 1958, with Director Andrzej Wajda, Firprecci prize in Venice, prize in Vancouver, 1960
  • "Zezowate Szczęscie" (Cross-eyed Luck) 1960, with Director Edward Munk, Polish Film Critics award
  • "Matka Joanna od Aniołów" (Mother Joan of Angels) 1960, with Director Jerzy Kawalerowicz, Silver Palm award in Cannes, 1961
  • "Ogniomistrz Kaleń" (Sargent Kaleń) 1961, with Director Czesław Petelski, Polish Ministry of Arts & Culture award, 1962
  • "Czarne Skrzydła" (Black Wings) 1962, w/Director Czesław Petelski, Silver Medal, Moscow 1963
  • "I Ty Zostaniesz Indianinem" (And You Too Will Be An Indian)1962, w/Director Konrad Nałęcki
  • "Agnieszka 46" (Agnes 46) 1964, with Director Sylwester Chęciński, Film Critics award, 1965
  • "Sklep Przy Głównej Ulicy " (Shop on the Main Street) 1965, with Director Jan Kadar, 1966 Oscar for Foreign Language Film
  • "Chciałbym Się Ogolić” (I Would Like A Shave) 1966, Television film (short), with Director Anrzej Kondratiuk, awarded in Oberhaursen, short-live action feature, 1967
  • “Kontrybucja” (Contribution) 1966, with Director Jan Łomnicki
  • "Cześć Kapitanie" (Hello Captain) 1966, with Director Czesław Petelski
  • "Kwestia Sumienia" (Question of Conscience) 1967, with Director Czesław Petelski
  • "Duch z Canterville" (Ghost of Canterville) 1967, with Director Czesław Petelski
  • "To Jest Twój Nowy Syn" (This Is Your New Son) 1967, with Director Jerzy Zarzycki
  • "Tortura Nedzieji" (Torture of Hope) 1967, Director Czesław Petelski, Mediolan award 1968

EXPERIMENTAL FILMS:

  • "Wiejski Listonosz" (The Village Mailman) 1955, with Director Andrzej Dyja
  • "Dom" (House) 1956 with Directors/Writers Jan Lenica & Walerian Borowczyk, Grand Prix prize at the First International Experimental Film Festival in Brussels, the first Polish film to win an international film award
  • "Był Sobie Raz" (Once There Was) 1957 with Director Jan Lenica, Gold Ducat award in Mannheim, 1958