The survey in the Polska daily found 55.5% of Poles believe that Katyń is the best Polish film in history. Second on all-time popularity was the epic masterpiece The Teutonic Knights (20.9%) and The Deluge (20.4%), both based on Henryk Sienkiewicz's novels.

Another 67.5% of those surveyed named Wajda as best Polish director, followed by Roman Polanski and Krzysztof Kieslowski, Polska reported.

After the Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, Wajda was asked whether he was sad he didn't get an Oscar. "What?!" he replied. "It's my fourth nomination (He was previously nominated for The Promised Land (1976), The Maids of Wilko (1979) and Man of Iron (1982)."

"I am glad we have been noticed," he added. "Europe has noticed us."