Janusz Hetman, a film producer from Bydgoszcz and co-creator of the success of “The Good House,” has died
For many years, this distinguished producer also served as Director and Vice-President of the Tumult Foundation in Toruń, the organizer of the Camerimage festival.
Janusz Hetman passed away on Sunday, February 1. He was 70 years old. News of his death was shared by the production studio Lucky Bob from Bydgoszcz, which he founded together with Wojciech Gostomczyk. The studio’s artistic director is film director Wojciech Smarzowski.
“Janek was an important part of our team at Lucky Bob, a friend, and a guide through the world of film. He loved art in every dimension and aspect, he loved people, and above all, he loved life, which he embraced to the fullest. Janek’s passing is an irreparable loss for his family, for us – friends and colleagues – and for Polish culture, especially Polish cinema,” the studio wrote on its social media profile.
Hetman worked with Smarzowski on films such as “Clergy” and “The Wedding,” and was also the executive producer of “The Mighty Angel.” Their most recent collaboration was the widely discussed “The Good House,” a harrowing film about domestic violence that was seen by nearly 2.5 million viewers in Polish cinemas. The production was supported by the Kujawy Pomorze Film Fund. In October last year, Hetman attended the film’s premiere at Opera Nova in Bydgoszcz.
Earlier, Janusz Hetman collaborated with American director David Lynch on the 2006 film “Inland Empire.” He not only co-produced it but also appeared in the film as a circus performer. “He showed me part of his artistic world that has nothing to do with cinema. I saw prints and drawings that no one had seen before. David is an extraordinary, sensitive person. We filmed in Los Angeles and Łódź – an amazing adventure,” Hetman recalled about Lynch.
Hetman also worked with other giants of world cinema: Peter Weir (“Master and Commander”), Roman Polański (“The Palace”), and Jerzy Skolimowski (“Io”). “I’ve been friends with Jerzy Skolimowski for many years, and through that connection we managed to reach Roman and become the Polish producer of this film. Besides us, there are also Italian and Swiss producers involved. It had always been our dream to do something with Roman Polański, because we consider him the greatest contemporary director,” he said about working on “The Palace.”
“Bydgoszcz native from birth. Until his final moments,” wrote Lucky Bob studio. But Hetman also had strong ties to Toruń. For many years, he was director and vice-president of the Tumult Foundation, which organizes the international cinematography festival Camerimage.
Janusz Hetman was a member of the Polish and European Film Academies and was trained as a painter. He died after a long illness.
Department of Promotion
February 2, 2026