Figura, playing an exhausted widow raising a teenage daughter, created a sincere, naturalist-like role in a film about love and the search for truth. In 2007, she appeared in the award-winning television production Aria Diva, directed by Agnieszka Smoczyńska, as the titular opera diva Joanna, who meets a settled but unfulfilled married woman Basia. Soon, the two protagonists develop deep feelings for each other – ones that exceed fascination and fondness.
In the dark comedy Cudowne lato (Wonder Summer, 2011) directed by Ryszard Brylski she played a double role – the main protagonist's (Helena Sujecka) mother and fairy Aurelia. The film wasn't widely popular, contrary to Piotr Mularuk's Yuma, where Figura starred a year later. She was nominated for the Złota Kaczka award for both of these films, in both of them she played with characteristic energy, but it was with the role of the main protagonist's (Jakub Gierszał) aunt and pimp in Mularuk's dark comedy that she made her comeback to popular cinema.
In the recent years she appeared in other popular, but also widely criticised films, such as Przemysław Angerman's Wyjazd integracyjny (Awayday, 2011), Piotr Wereśniak's Och Karol 2 (2011) and Sławomir Kryński's Podejrzani zakochani (Suspected Lovers, 2013), but she mostly showed her talent in the theatre. In Dramatyczny she played, among other things, in two plays by Alfriede Jelinek – in an episode of Śmierć i dziewczyna. Dramaty księżniczek I-V (Princess Dramas: Death and the Maiden I-III and IV-V, 2009) directed by Agnieszka Korytkowska-Mazur and Kupieckie kontrakty (The Merchant's Contracts, 2009) directed by Paweł Miśkiewicz. In 2013 she starred as Kalina Jędrusik in the Kalina monodrama in Polonia Theatre. The similiarities between two actresses were noticed in the reviews:
Who better than Katarzyna Figura to play Kalina Jędrusik? Two sexy females who have made their bodies the main advantage of their acting, which later turned into a trap – wrote Aneta Kyzioł ("Polityka", 9.07.2013).
Since 2014 Figura has been a member of the Teatr Wybrzeże in Gdańsk ensemble. She played, among others, Elisabeth I in Maria Stuart directed by Adam Nalepa, based on Friedrich Schiller's play. Together with Dorota Kolak in the title role, she created a duo which raised a lot of interest among the critics.
The play is duel and a a display of the protagonists' talents. Katarzyna Figura plays a scared Elisabeth, a woman confused, but at the same time full of pride and power, who knows that the throne belongs to her rival. Her Elisabeth shines during the meeting with Maria Stuart. Her gown is then replaced by a fancy suit of a modern businesswoman. She is focused, imposing and – as Maria notices - „cold as a rock”. Elisabeth is Figura's best role in Wybrzeże Theatre – wrote Łukasz Rudziński for trojmiasto.pl (27.09.2014).
In 2015 she played in Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor directed by Paweł Aigner and in Gabriela Zapolska's Tresowane dusze (Trained souls) directed by Adam Orzechowski. She had another meeting with the author also on the big screen – together with Krystyna Janda and Maja Ostaszewska she starred in Panie Dulskie (The Dulskie Ladies) directed by Filip Bajon – a modern variation around the famous play The Morality of Mrs Dulska.
Awards:
- 1987 – Golden Duck – Award from the readers of Film magazine;
- 1998 – Golden Duck – Award from the readers of Film magazine;
- 1999 – Award for Best Actress, for the role of Gosia in Marek Koterski's film Ajlawiu at the 24th Gdynia Film Festival;
- 2000 – Crystal Pomegranate for Best Comedy Actress at the 4th Polish Comedy Festival in Lubomierz;
- 2003 – Award for Best Lead Actress, for the role of Mère Ubu in Piotr Szulkin's film Ubu Król (Ubu Roi) at the 28th Gdynia Film Festival; Award from the Twój Styl monthly for Best Polish Actress of the Festival, for the role of Mother in Ryszard Brylski's film Żurek (White Soup) at the 9th Summer of Films Festival in Kazimierz Dolny;
- 2004 – Eagle – Polish Film Award for Best Actress, for the role of Mother in Ryszard Brylski's film Żurek (White Soup); Audience Award, Jańcio Wodnik Award for Best Actress, for the role of Mother in Ryszard Brylski's film Żurek (White Soup) at the 11th National Film Art Festival Prowincjonalia in Września;
- 2006 – Award for the role of Mother in the performance of Dirk Dobbrow's Alina na zachód (Alina Goes West), directed by Paweł Miśkiewicz at the Dramatyczny Theatre in Warsaw, during the 46th Kalisz Theatre Meetings; Master Award from the Warsaw Point magazine for versatile stage enactments.
Author: Monika Mokrzycka-Pokora, June 2007; update by NMR: May 2016, transl. Ania Micińska, NMR.