Chicago film visionary Michael Kutza scores another global honor

Big applause for Michael Kutza, the showman who turned Chicago into a global movie hotspot. The legendary founder and longtime director of the Chicago International Film Festival is set to receive the honorary badge, Meritorious for Polish Culture, at the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Chicago, presented by Consul General Regina Jurkowska April 14.

The honor celebrates Kutza’s decades of championing Polish cinema in the U.S. Long before international films were trendy, he was rolling out the red carpet for bold, brilliant Polish storytellers. During his tenure, the Festival screened nearly 200 Polish films and welcomed a steady stream of visiting filmmakers. Polish cinema still shines in the Festival’s October lineup today.

Kutza introduced American audiences to giants like Krzysztof Kieślowski, Andrzej Wajda, Krzysztof Zanussi, Agnieszka Holland, and Roman Polanski - often years before they became household names in the U.S. That knack for spotting global talent helped cement Chicago’s place on the international film map.

Previous recipients of the honor include singer Bobby Vinton, historian Norman Davies, and travel host Rick Steves - pretty good company.

Kutza’s memoir, Starstruck: How I Magically Transformed Chicago into Hollywood for More Than Fifty Years, spills the behind-the-scenes stories from a career filled with movie magic, famous faces and unforgettable premieres.

Previously, he was named a Knight of the Legion of Honour by France and received the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic for his contributions to Italian film, among many other honors - all fitting tributes for a man who made Chicago a true crossroads of world cinema.

Bravo, Michael! 🎬