Cinephiles may not always be happy about which films do and don’t get Oscars but everyone can agree the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences’ Gold Rising Talent Development Program is a real winner. One of the skilled recipients admitted into the eight-week educational and networking experience is Anna Buksowicz, an emerging production designer from Poland who is living the American dream.
Janet Arvia: How did it feel to be selected from more than 7,000 applicants for the Academy’s mentoring program?
Anna Buksowicz: The Academy has always been a symbol of excellence for me, and joining a program of such prestige truly felt like stepping into the heart of the cinematic world. … The application process was intense, with multiple stages, including portfolio submissions and in-depth interviews … Being one of the few accepted, with a sub-1 percent acceptance rate, was a defining moment in my career.
What directors and films have influenced you?
Dune stands out for Patrice Vernette’s unmatched attention to detail and his ability to construct imaginary worlds that feel grounded in unique spatial and gravitational rules. His work demonstrates how intricate world-building can elevate a story’s immersive quality, a standard I hold for my own designs.
Marriage Story, with production designer Jade Healy, showcases an extraordinary form of “minimalist” production design. Healy’s use of space as a narrative tool — depicting emptiness to reflect loneliness or abandonment, while decorated spaces convey moments of family warmth and celebration — is a brilliant representation of production design’s purpose. Her work inspires me to design spaces that serve as silent narrators, echoing the emotional landscape of the characters.
Lastly, Mother! by Darren Aronofsky is, to me, the epitome of visceral cinema. It’s gut-wrenching and deeply unsettling, creating an emotional experience that remains with the viewer long after the film ends. Aronofsky’s work reminds me of the profound emotional power that visual storytelling can hold.
Your story begins in Poland. But you left to pursue the American dream in Hollywood via Chicago?
I left Warsaw for Montréal and then moved to Los Angeles for graduate studies at the New York Film Academy, but my first connection to America was in Chicago. Growing up, my [aunt] would host me each summer. Visiting her was my first real taste of the American experience, and Chicago became my introduction to a world that seemed so full of possibility. Coming from Poland, where resources could feel limited, the variety in Chicago was exhilarating—full television networks, diverse cuisines, affordable stores, and even places where I could find pierogi and pickles just like my grandmother’s. Chicago felt like a home away from home and left me wanting more of this dynamic culture.
Chicago laid the groundwork for me to one day build my career in America. Eventually, this led me to Los Angeles, where I earned a talent scholarship to pursue my graduate degree in Filmmaking at the New York Film Academy.
In Los Angeles, my Chicago connection grew even stronger. There’s a thriving Polish-American community in the city, many from Chicago’s large Polish population, and their empathy, generosity, and encouragement have been incredible as I’ve made my way here. Working with fellow Chicago-Polish creatives has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. For example, on the feature film AVA, directed by Zach Koepp, produced by Greg Bekkers, and with Allen Chodakowski — a true Chicago-born cinematographer with Polish roots — I felt that same sense of belonging and pride. Chicago has influenced so much of my journey, shaping not just where I wanted to live but also fueling my ambition to create work that speaks to cultural heritage, resilience, and community.
What drew you to filmmaking in general and production design specifically?
Ever since childhood, I have been captivated by the power of visual storytelling. While most children were content with routine schoolwork, I was instinctively drawn to filling notebooks with detailed illustrations of imagined worlds…
Growing up in a small village near Warsaw yet attending an international school, I developed an eclectic, multicultural perspective that has deeply influenced my artistry. Exposure to diverse cultures and personal narratives became a vital part of my creative palette, inspiring my designs to reflect an authentic synthesis of global influences. I often think of my early mentor, Wojciech Fangor, a Polish artist who bridged Polish and American cultures, as his approach mirrored my own: to tell stories that resonate universally. This cross-cultural sensibility, which I later refined while studying in Francophone Montréal, has become a cornerstone of my creative identity and a defining aspect of my design philosophy…
Polish filmmaker Andrzej Wajda famously said that filmmakers are both poets and corporals—creative minds with a practical edge. Production design is where I bring this vision to life…For me, production design is all about finding ways to visually represent each character’s intentions, the underlying themes, and the mood of the film in a way that resonates intuitively with the audience. It’s in these visual choices that I feel most fulfilled, working on set, problem-solving, and pushing my creativity to shape the world of the story one frame at a time.
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