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After World War II, Polish actor/director Leonard Buczkowski played an important role in helping his country's film industry make the transition from commercial movies to those acceptable to the ruling Communist Party. Before involving himself in cinema, Buczkowski was involved in theater, acting, and occasionally directing. Between 1919 and 1920, he served as an Airman during the Polish-Soviet War. In 1922, he entered films, first as an actor and later as an assistant director to Wiktor Bieganski. Buczkowski established his own directing career in 1928 with Szalency/My, Pierwsza Brygada and became a popular prewar filmmaker. After the Soviets took control of Poland, Buczkowski directed Poland's first postwar feature, Zakazane Piosenki/Forbidden Songs (1946). Many of his subsequent films found favor with Russian audiences. In 1953, Buczkowski directed the first Polish feature in color, Pryzygoda na Mariensztacie/Adventure at Mareinsztat.