Producers: Roman Polanski, Robert Benmussa and Alain Sarde
Best film wins: Golden Palm at Cannes Film Festival; Boston Society of Film Critics; National Society of Film Critics; San Francisco Film Critics Circle
The story: Based on the autobiography of the acclaimed Polish composer, Wladyslaw Szpilman, who detailed his survival during World War II when he narrowly escaped a roundup that sent his family to a death camp. A composer and pianist, Szpilman played the last live music heard over Polish radio airwaves before Nazi artillery hit. In Poland, Szpilman struggled to stay alive–even when cast away from those he loved. He spent the duration of the war hiding in the ruins of Warsaw scavenging for food and shelter. Szpilman eventually reclaimed his artistic gifts, and confronted his fears–with aid from the unlikeliest of sources.