Director

In the early 1980s, Bartkowiak served as the cinematographer for three films that received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture: "The Verdict," "Terms of Endearment," and "Prizzi's Honor." Throughout that decade, Bartkowiak forged a close professional relationship with director Sidney Lumet, assuming the role of director of photography for almost all of Lumet's movies from 1981's "Prince of the City" to 1993's "Guilty as Sin."

Bartkowiak made his directorial debut with "Romeo Must Die," a martial-arts action film featuring Jet Li and Aaliyah, which grossed an impressive $91 million at the box office. A year later, he directed the successful action thriller "Exit Wounds," starring Steven Seagal. "Cradle 2 the Grave" achieved moderate success at the box office.

Subsequently, he joined forces with Ashok Amritraj's Hyde Park Entertainment and Capcom to helm "Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li."

In 2010, Bartkowiak worked as a cinematographer on the thriller "Trespass," directed by Joel Schumacher, marking a reunion with the director after their collaboration on "Falling Down."