Born in Lodz, Poland. Piotr Sobocinski, PSC, died on 26 March 2001 while he was on location shooting "24 Hours" in Vancouver, Canada. He was only 43 years old and is survived by his wife and three children. He is also survived by his father, Witold Sobocinski, PSC, one of the most esteemed cinematographers in eastern European film history. The younger Sobocinski was born and raised in Poland at a time when the Cold War was an impassible barrier for filmmakers on either side of the Iron Curtain. During an interview at the CamerImage International Festival of the Art of Cinematography in Poland in 1995, Sobocinski spoke about boyhood memories of watching his father work. "Cinematography has always been an important part of my life," he said, "but I don't remember my father talking to me about what he did (on a technical level). He told me that wherever you are standing, you can take pictures 360 degrees in any direction. You have to eliminate what isn't necessary, and find the right angle." Sobocinski was silent for a long moment, then he finished, "My father taught me that the language of film is your own interpretation of reality. You have to select what is important from the jumble of images we see in our everyday lives. You can speak without using words by the decisions you make about movement and composition." Sobocinski said that during his youth he was attracted to the solitary art of painting. He wanted to study art when he was 17 or 18 years old, but felt compelled to follow in his father's footsteps. Sobocinski studied at the Polish national film school in Lodz, and earned his first cinematography credits in 1987 for ZUK and THE DECALOGUE. In 1994, Sobocinski won the Silver Frog Award at CamerImage for his rendering of images in RED. The following year, he stepped into the global limelight when he was nominated for a cinematography Oscar for RED. Sobocinski also won the Golden Frog Award at CamerImage in 1995 for SIÓDMY POKÓJ (THE SEVENTH ROOM), which was based on the lifelong journey of a Jewish philosophy teacher who became a nun and ultimately was murdered at Auschwitz. "When I first read the script, I could close my eyes and see her in my mind," he said. "It was like painting, but it's different because in a film you can identify with the people and what's happening to them. It was a joy to collaborate on a picture like this which has something to say about the human spirit." Sobocinski's career was ascending in 1995. He had a top American agent, and Ron Howard chose him to work on RANSOM and MARVIN'S ROOM. His later credits included TWILIGHT (1998), ANGEL EYES and HEARTS IN ATLANTIS (both 2001) and TRAPPED (2002). We asked if he had thought about moving to the United States? Sobocinski said he appreciated the opportunity to work on big American projects. It was an opportunity to keep learning by observing different directors, like his father taught him, but he thought it was important to be with his family in Poland, and to help build a strong film industry which reflects the national culture. He leaves behind a legacy that has not only affected those in his homeland but the world over.  Nominated for Achievement in Cinematography 1994: RED 1 nomination