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Walesa: New Biopic 'Leaves Out Important Aspects of My Life'


Lech Walesa speaks with VOA's Vivian Chakarian (VOA Photo by Sergei Moskalev)
Lech Walesa speaks with VOA's Vivian Chakarian (VOA Photo by Sergei Moskalev)
Former Polish president, Lech Walesa says a new movie that portrays his life has left out some important aspects of his life.

“My life is rich in events, and it is not possible to capture it in two hours.” Is the assessment by former Polish president Lech Walesa about the new film based on his life. He spoke in Washington for the launch of Lech Walesa: Man of Hope.

The Nobel Laureate and former Solidarity Union leader spoke briefly to VOA at a Washington hotel.

Walesa said director Andrzej Wajda did a good job of portraying him as a “unionist and simple revolutionary” but said the film left out many important aspects of his life. The activist who led the Solidarity movement in the 1980s that eventually brought down Poland’s communist regime said he was also a politician.

Walesa, the first democratically elected president of Poland, after the fall of communism, also noted what he said was the vital role VOA played in keeping people behind the Iron Curtain informed during the Cold War. He said he listened to VOA a lot.

“I would not be the man I am today without VOA,” he said. “One-third of our victory was due to VOA.”
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